Trials of Ryder: 01 The Archon Arc
by natsora
Summary: Sara Ryder has 9 lives like a cat. She lost the first one at Habitat 7. This covers her second death and the Archon missions from the game. The Archon's face was instantly before her. A sharp pain shot down her spine as the needle plunged into the back of her neck. Is he taking something or leaving something behind? The haze of pain dispelled any notion of thought. She could feel
1. Second Death

**Chapter 1 - Second Death**

Ryder secured the helmet via the double D rings under her chin. She turned and checked her blind spot. Her left hand kept the clutch at the biting spot while the right twisted the throttle. Her vintage Yamaha moped roared to life. _I'll never be tired of this sound._ Muscle memory took over and she shifted to a higher gear with her left foot. Letting go of clutch, she pushed her helmet's visor down. The road was clear and straight. The breeze streaming into her helmet via the vents on the top, tickling her hair and scalp. Laughter burst from her lungs, unbidden. _It's been too long_

Fossil fuel driven vehicles are rare but this is one she brought to life with her own hands before she enlisted in the Alliance. She had few chances to enjoy the joy of the ride since signing up. Now that her Alliance career is over, _discharged after being posting from one backwater planet to another_ she has the time to indulge in riding. _Who knows if I'll be able to bring this baby to Heleus._

Ryder blinked, _What's that on the road?_

A shadow darted across her vision and instinctively her right hand and foot jerked, she squeezed and stomping on the brakes. The front wheel locked. _Shit, shit, shit!_ Ryder felt her body lift from the seat as the motorcycle did a forward flip. Her hands were ripped from the handle bar and suddenly she just hung in the air, immobilised. _This isn't right..._

The Archon's face was instantly before her. A sharp pain shot down her spine as the needle plunged into the back of her neck. _Is he taking something or leaving something behind?_ The haze of pain dispelled any notion of thought. She could feel cold hands on her face as the ugly green mug stared into her eyes. "No amount of struggle is going to help now," the Archon declared, "You are mine!"

Then the world turned black and cold. A black so utter and overwhelming, a black that felt eternal and permanent.

Ryder sat bolt upright on the bed. A pain flared like fire across her abdomen. She hissed as her body reminded her of her bruised ribs. "Ryder, are you all right?" Lexi's voice broke the blind panic that she was in.

"Pathfinder, I advise you take deep breaths. Your accelerated heart rate is not advisable after your ordeal on the Archon's flagship," SAM said.

"A dream, it was a dream," she whispered to herself as she took deep breaths to get her heart rate down.

Ryder flinched as she felt Lexi's hand on her shoulder. For a moment the touch reminded her of the Archon's hand. Lexi withdrew her hand as if burnt. "I'm sorry, I thought... sorry."

"You have nothing to apologise for, Ryder," Lexi said "What you've just been through is traumatising to put it lightly."

Ryder opened her mouth to explain. She frowned, she seemed to remember explaining the situation to Lexi when she returned to the Tempest. Then, Lexi did she usually does and insisted she spend the night at the med-bay for observation.

Lexi waved her silent and pushed Ryder down back to the bed. "You need to rest, what your heart went through today is...," started Lexi.

Ryder nodded as she took a shuddering breath to calm her racing heart. Lexi lifted her shirt to make sure the leads are all in place. The machine that monitored her heart rate beeped happily along. "I've spoke to SAM, I don't think there is any lasting effects from the ill advised procedure."

Ryder wasn't listening, she had her eyes squeezed close as she tried to banish the Archon's face from behind her eyelids. _I died again today. Again._ The corners of Lexi's lips turned up to give her a smile.

"Yes, Mom," Ryder smiled as she opened her eyes and turned her gaze at Lexi.

If the look of concern was any indication, her smile wasn't the least bit convincing as she tried to sound. She sighed and tried to make herself comfortable. The wireless leads on her bare chest wasn't helping matters. Closing her eyes again, Ryder's breath hitched as a surge of panic threatens to overwhelm her. "Do you need a mild sedative to sleep?" Lexi asked.

 _Am I that transparent?_ Ryder shook her head. _Sleeping is a simple matter, I shouldn't need any medication just to sleep._ She willed her muscles to relax and allow the darkness to claim her once more.

Ryder grunted. "Are you all right, Ryder?", Jaal asked, his blue eyes gazing at her with the concern.

"Yeah, I'm totally great," she replied, brushing off the tightness in her chest. Turning her attention to Kallo, "Set a course to the Nexus, we need to check in with Tann and gang."

"Aye, aye, Ryder," Kallo acknowledged.

The visor that Jaal wore told him a different story, as his gaze lingered over Ryder. _Her heart rate is elevated. Nothing dangerous but definitely unusual._ He bit his tongue. It has only been a few months but he had learn that these aliens especially humans were very secretively with their emotions. Even if something was apparently to all, it was sometimes still frowned upon to speak of them. Even without his visor, he could tell the line of her shoulder spoke of weariness. It's probably the stress from the months of being the only Pathfinder. All the hopes and dreams of all Milky Way species, both the awoke and sleeping were all pin on her slender shoulders. _It's a wonder, she hadn't crumbled under the pressure. Humans not large creatures when compared to the Angarians._ Jaal smiled as he remembered the first time meeting Ryder. She didn't even flinched being flanked by the Resistance's soldiers. _She was breath taking, in more ways than one, the moment I laid eyes on her. Even after months with the crew on the Tempest, my view of her hadn't changed. Her confidence and earnestness is now tempered with experience, she has done a great job considering the circumstances._

Ryder walked past him, heading into the research room with a slight hunch in her shoulders. _A slight chink in her Pathfinder amour, perhaps? She wears the persona like it was her final line of defence._ It's his job to observe and report to Evfra, so far the human Pathfinder had been more than impressive. She was a warrior who fought her battles with weapons and compassion in equal measures. The way she danced with a blue glow in battle was more graceful than anything he had seen. However as impressive that was, Jaal found himself with his breath taken away with the compassion she showed the Roekaar and even the Charlatan. _I'll never be as forgiving._

It was only recently that they found Avitus and Sarissa. It's only a stroke of luck that Raeka was found in the previous mission. Jaal shuddered as he remembered how still Ryder was on the ground. Seconds felt like hours as SAM tried to restart her heart. _I thought I've lost her forever, something as precious as Ryder, something that I've just found._ He shook his head and put the thought from his head. _Both SAM and Lexi found no lasting ill effects from that particular event. She is fine. Ryder will be fine._

Ryder's hands made fists when she remembered making the call to sacrifice the Krogan scouts to a fate worse than death. The look that Drack gave her spoke volumes, it cut her more than the shouting he directed at her. _Is one life worth more than others?_ The shouting she could handle, it's nothing she didn't expect but the look he had given her. It wasn't anger, it was disappointment, it was betrayal.

The door leading to the research room hissed open. _I should really speak to Drack. If nothing else to apologise._ Her eyes fell on Drack who was standing next to the research console. Their eyes met for a moment before Ryder had to look away. She heard Jaal's footsteps behind her as the door hissed close. Jaal placed a hand on her shoulder. She shrank back from his touch. Ryder knew the touch was meant to be comforting but she could only feel how much she doesn't deserve even this. _Consigning the scouts to being exalted to save the life of the Salarian Pathfinder, did I really did the right thing?_ Ryder was sure that it was the right thing. It was the cold calculations of war. It might not look like the Initiative was at war with the Kett but look at the Angarians, they have been at this for years. Ryder looked over to Jaal. His confusion clear in his eyes at her reaction. Ryder shook her head and said, "I'll talk to you later?"

Jaal nodded. His eyes moving over to Drack who was almost glaring at the exchange. She turned her attention back to Drack as Jaal left, leaving them alone in the room. _Raeka is just one person but she stands for much more than a person. She will be the hope to finding a home for the Salarians. Given the chance to do it all over again, I'd probably choose the same. And betray Drack all over again._ Ryder squared her shoulders and took a deep breath, as if preparing to take a blow to her gut. _This is my burden to bear. My decisions, their deaths, (ha… if it was only that simple), are on my hands._

"Drack."

"Pathfinder."

Ryder almost took a step back at his reply. _He has never called me that so this is the price I have to pay? A friendship, lost._ "Wasn't enough to save the whole damn ark? You had to grab a few more on the way out?", Drack growled.

"It's isn't that simple, it's…"

"Complicated?" Drack interrupted. "It's not. You choose the Salarian over the Krogans. Leaving them behind is worse than killing them outright."

Ryder dipped her head in acknowledgement to the truth - the cold hard fact. _A fate worse than death._ "Drack, I'm…"

Drack didn't wait for Ryder to finish speaking before striding out of the room. "…sorry."

She took another deep breath and pressed her hand over her chest. The tightness in her chest has been bothering her since her second death _(oh my god, how many deaths can a person have?)_ on the Archon's ship. "It's was a difficult decision to make," SAM spoke. "But the Archon has been dealt a great blow, your father would have been proud."

"SAM, thank you for the vote of confidence but I just wish we had time to save them all." Ryder replied in a quiet voice, her arms on the research console as she leaned her weight on them. "SAM, could you do a check on my vitals?"

"Sure, Pathfinder but I do not detect any abnormalities at this moment. Your heart and breathing rate all within acceptable range."

Ryder shrugged. _I guess it's just probably some muscle tightness then. Nothing unusual._ She stretched her arm out horizontally and arched her back, hoping to rid herself of the uncomfortable tightness. It was too much to hope that it would be fixed with a simple stretch. "Thank you, SAM."

 _No, no, no. That's all they say. Can't they see there is no point establishing more outposts if the Kett is coming and exalted everything if we leave him to head to Meridian unchecked?_ Ryder sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose with her hand. "How did it go?" Liam asked as she approached the Tempest.

Ryder just looked at him balefully. "That good huh?"

She settled for a grunt to encompass all her frustration with the Initiative leadership and her helplessness in the face of their inaction. "So we are just going to leave the way open for the Archon?" Liam asked.

"No."

At least that was one thing Ryder was clear about. If the Initiative is not going to take action, she would have to take matters into her own hands. "I have a meeting with the other Pathfinders later today to discuss this very matter, hopefully they have a better idea," she said. "At least, Tann thanked me for finding the Salarian Ark."

"Small mercies," Liam snorted.

She returned to her quarters to sort out the stack of data pads she had all over the bed and desk. If she is to have any chance to convince the other Pathfinders it is with facts and data. _I just need to find more to convince them._ "Pathfinder, you have an urgent message from Dr. Carlyle. Patching him through now." SAM said.

Ryder sat up, her worries forgotten instantly. "Harry, is Scott all right?" she asked, intuiting that it was the only reason for Harry to contact her.

"Sara, Scott is awake."

She didn't remember how she got to the Cryo bay. One moment she was in her room hearing the words she had been hopping for and the next she was at his bedside. "Hi sis," Scott said as he sat propped up on a bed.

Two words, just two simple words, the Pathfinder shattered to reveal the worried sister within. The tough exterior she built by burying herself in work, collecting of data and bottling up unvoiced doubts crumbled. She smiled, tears formed in her eyes. "Hey yourself, sleepy head."

She pulled him into an embrace so tight that Scott coughed. "Easy there," Scott complained in a chocked voice.

Ryder forced herself to leave go. "Shit, Dad…"

"I know, Sara. I know," Scott sighed. "I remembered the conversation we had while I was still in a coma."

Harry watched as the Ryder siblings hugged and cried in turns. _Alec, you would have been proud. Your kids are strong and now that they are whole again, they will be stronger for it._ He didn't want to interrupt the much yearned for reunion but he had to keep his patient's well being as his priority. "Sara, I think Scott should be resting. He just woke up and his body isn't used to so much so soon."

Ryder nodded though disappointment was plain on her face. "Hey, doc. I slept for more than 600 years, I think I should be all filled up on sleep," Scott protested.

"Listen to Harry, little bro. I see you tomorrow?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at Harry.

"Tomorrow is fine."

She looked down at her Omni-tool. "Damn it, I have to get to a meeting," she cursed as she realised the them. "See you tomorrow, Scott. Harry, thank you for the care you provide him."

The meeting with the other Pathfinders was much better than the one with the Initiative leadership. _There is a plan now. It might be difficult to execute but at least there is a plan now._ "Ryder, you look better today," Jaal commented while she was woofing down her ration bars in the galley.

"I feel better, Jaal. My brother is awake. We have a plan to stop the Archon. What more can I ask for?" she said, smiling in a way that is brighter and more real than the other smiles she had showed in weeks. "I could use more time though but I don't think time is something we have much of even if the Initiative doesn't."

She frowned at that thought. Jaal cursed himself internally for switching her thoughts down a darker path. "Take our victories where we can find it," he advised. "Tea?"

Ryder nodded. "I probably need more than a cup to see my way through all this."

With a steaming cup of tea in her hand, Ryder felt like she could face down all the Kett and hell, even the Archon himself. She felt Jaal's hand on her shoulder again. She hummed in pleasure. His bio-electricity leaving a line of goose bumps across her shoulders in its wake. "You shouldn't do that. I have too much work to do," she said with just a hint of cheekiness.

She was getting back at reading Jaal's bio-electricity. For a long time, he kept his hands gloved whenever he was working with them. However after much trial and error and fumbling, Ryder broke through his reserve and outwardly calm disposition. "But do that one more time," Ryder said, with a breathiness that betrayed her words earlier.

Jaal smiled and obliged her. "You shouldn't work so hard. All work and no play, makes Sara a dull girl. Isn't that how one of your human idioms go?" he teased, tracing his hand across her shoulders. _"I've got your back," his fingers said._

She hummed with pleasure, then she placed her hand on his. Flaring her biotics just slightly in a rough approximation of _I know._ Jaal's eyes widen. "Where did you learn that?"

"A girl's got to keep her secrets."

"This sucks!" Ryder complained as she sprinted to cover, panting. Gunfire pinging off the crate she took cover behind. _Why would Kett bother manufacturing their crates strong enough to withstand gunfire and biotic charges, I have no clue but I am fucking glad they did._

It took a while but Drack began talking to her again. He even went as far as to ask her a favour. There was no way in hell Ryder was going to let him down. She turned her head and signalled to Drack. He nodded and rushed out from cover and charged the raiders. She took the opportunity while they were distracted to Charge and throwing the lot on their feet with a Shockwave. Drack came in with his shotgun blazing. Within 60 seconds, their tag team one two combo made short work of the raiders. Drack gave her a roar of approval and Ryder grinned, her smile couldn't get any wider.

"Hey, you two need to leave some for me!" Vetra complained.

Ryder turned and flashed her a predatory smile, "You got to keep up with us, Vetra."

Before Vetra could retort, Ryder's smile changed to a look of shock. Before she could turn to see what Ryder was looking at, she watched the Pathfinder took a round straight in the chest. It lifted her off her feet and back at least ten metres if not more. Ryder landed on her back and crashed into a bunch of crates. For a second nobody moved. "Ryder!" Vetra screamed.

"Hydras! Take cover!" Drack warned.

Before she could moved towards the motionless Pathfinder, the Hydra launched another round forcing her to take cover. "Damn it!" she cursed before turning her attention to the mechs heading their way.

 _Pain. So much pain._ Ryder's eyes snapped open. "How long was I out?" she asked SAM.

"1 minutes and 13s," came the instant reply.

She could hear the fight was still going on. _Rise and shine._ It took considerable effort and much cursing to sit up as pain seared across her upper body. "Pathfinder, joining the fight is unadvisable. You have just taken a rocket round to your chest," SAM warned.

"I know, I know but we are not out of the woods yet. Vetra and Drack need my backup," she replied, getting to her feet.

Her eyes scanned the battlefield before her. One of the Hydra was down while the other is still active. She could hear Aroane's voice from the other mech taunting Drack. Using the sound of the gunfire and explosions to guide her, Ryder Charged to join the fray.

"Ryder!" Vetra shouted when Ryder threw up a Barrier around the both of them. "Are you all right?"

"That teaches me to mouth off before the fight is done, huh," Ryder said with a pained smile.

She winced slightly as the bullets impacted her Barrier. "Ryder, I thought you were done for," Drack shouted as his hands pumped a couple of shotgun rounds in the direction of the mech.

"It takes more than a rocket to put me down, old man."

"Ha! Are you ready to finish this? I've softened up the mech for you."

"I was born ready," Ryder snorted, gritting her teeth against the pain. "Let's do this. Vetra, flank this asshole once Drack and I distract him."

All it took was a glance to convey everything., acknowledgement of the order and eagerness to see it done. _I love my team._ Ryder thought with a fierceness that surprised even her. It's times like this she felt almost as if they were all linked in both body and mind.

Drack charged towards the mech, shotgun unloading shot after shot. He took cover when he needed to but allowed his shields to handle most of the damage. Ryder dropped the Barrier and shot at the mech with her trusty M-96 Mattock, throwing in a couple of Singularity for good measure. Vetra shuffled around to the side using the crates as her cover. It's as if Ryder had a sixth sense, Vetra found Ryder meeting her eyes when she was in position. Their eyes met for a split second and Ryder Charged the mech and dropped a Shockwave at its feet. Vetra raised her assault rifle to her shoulder and send a concussive round right in the wake of Ryder's Shockwave. The combination took down the mech instantly.

Drack raced in and pulled Aroane from the cockpit. "Not so tough without your toys anymore huh," Drack growled as he shook the man.

Ryder dropped to her knees as she tried to catch her breath. "Pathfinder, you have overtaxed your body, your blood pressure is low. You should sit down," SAM advised over their private channel.

She shook her head and stood instead. "The battlefield is no place to show weakness, especially in front of enemies," she replied.

"Vorn, are you all right?" Vetra asked.

"Yes, I am fine. Thank you," the botanist replied as he emerged from behind his cover, walking over to join them on the platform.

"Time to take out the trash," Drack announced as he dragged a struggling Aroane by the leg.

Ryder knelt beside Aroane while Drack dangling him over the platform. "No, no! Don't let me go," he pleaded. "You can't do this."

"I can do whatever I want."

"I'm inclined to agree with Drack. So what will it be?" Ryder asked, craning up to look at Drack.

The old man had such a dirty smile plastered across his face. Without warning, Drack let go and Aroane screamed all the way down. "Feel better?" Vetra asked.

"Oh yeah, best feeling ever." he laughed.

"Let's get the seed vault and Vorn back to where they belong," Ryder said, as she stood up…

…a little too quickly. Her vision grew dark around the edges and she stumbled to her knees. Ryder panted, her breaths coming ragged and quick. "Ryder!" Vetra rushed towards her. "Are you ok? SAM, what's going on?"

Ryder could only concentrate on breathing. She didn't have any breath to spare to explain. "The Pathfinder's blood pressure is dangerously low and her heart rate is too fast. I think the rocket she took to the chest has done more damage than expected," SAM said. "I advise we get the Pathfinder to Dr. T'Perro as soon as possible."


	2. Pain, my old friend

**Chapter 2 - Pain, my old friend**

It's all she could do to keep sucking air into her lungs. There just wasn't enough to go around. _Air…_

Drack had her arm over his shoulder and his arm around her waist. He half carried - dragged the almost limp Pathfinder onto the Tempest. Vetra came following behind with Ryder's weapons in her hands. "What happened?" Cora asked, rushing towards Drack to help.

"She took a rocket to her chest," Vetra reported.

Drack got Ryder onto the bed at the med bay with surprising gentleness for a Krongan of his size. Lexi turned to the crowd in her domain and barked, "Cora and Vetra stay, the rest of you out!"

When the med bay was clear, Lexi's orders flew with precision and firmness. "Vetra, Cora, get her out of her armour."

With practise ease, buckles were snapped and the armour were all dropped to the floor. "Ryder, can you hear me?" Lexi asked as she had her omni tool up to scan.

 _Yes… I can, yes._ Ryder panted and blinked Lexi. She didn't feel up to do more. Lexi frowned at the readings on her omni tool. "Get her out of that under armour," Lexi ordered.

Vetra retrieved a pair of medical shears ready to cut Ryder out of the skin tight suit. "No," Ryder crocked. "Too… expensive…"

"This is your concern when your heart rate is in the 200 beats per minutes?" Lexi asked incredulously. "I'll buy you another one, get it off her."

The shears made quick work of her under armour, leaving her in her black Initiative issued bra and underwear. Her entire chest was an angry red that promised to be an impressive bruise the next day. "What's wrong with me?" Ryder managed to squeeze out in between her pants.

Lexi ignored her question and instructed, "Fit the oxygen mask over her nose and mouth."

Cora pulled a heavy duty mask over her face and secured it around her head. The cool oxygen flooded her lungs. Suddenly, Ryder didn't feel quite on the verge of death as before. Lexi busied herself with attaching those same wireless leads on her chest. The heart rate monitor screeched an angry series of beeps. "That's not normal right?" Cora asked.

Lexi didn't answer instead she addressed Ryder. "Your blood pressure is too low. I can't give you any sedatives."

"Why would I need any?" Ryder asked, her voice muffled through the mask.

Lexi took out a large pad and placed it over right side of her chest. "Cora, Vetra, help me turn her."

Ryder grimaced and bit back a cry of pain as they flipped her onto her side. The heart rate monitor cried as her heart rate spiked. The second pad was placed on the left side of her back before they returned her to her back. "I'm going to carry out electrical cardioversion to get your heart rate back to normal."

"Ahh… Lexi, my translator might be glitching but electrical is not sounding so good to me," Cora said.

 _Tell her, Cora._ Ryder agreed but she was too busy sucking in air through the mask. Lexi attached the wires leading from the pads to a machine behind Ryder. A loud whine filled the air as the machine was turned on. Ryder's eyes widened as the realisation hit her. "You're going to shock me," she mumbled through the mask.

Lexi nodded. "This will get your heart rate back to normal range while we figure out what caused this. Cora, Vetra tuck her arms under the sheets."

"Ryder, I'm not going to lie, it will hurt, a lot."

 _No…_ Ryder groaned internally but nodded her acknowledgement. It wasn't really giving permission since there was no other choice in the limited facility of the med bay. Lexi looked at Cora and Vetra making sure they were done with tucking Ryder's arms in. "Ready, Ryder?"

She nodded again and a baseball bat smashed into her chest. It came too fast for her to actually shout, her breath came out more as a chocked scream. She squeezed her eyes shut as the pain washed over her. _A rocket then a baseball bat, I don't recommend either._ "Ryder, are you ok?" Lexi asked.

She didn't have the strength to do anything more than to roll her eyes as Lexi. "I know, I know. Sorry, stupid question."

Jaal paced outside the med bay, he couldn't help but jumped when Ryder's scream erupted from the med bay. "What's going on in there? What happened back at the outpost?" Jaal asked.

"Ryder took a rocket to the chest. She collapsed after the battle was over," Drack answered gruffly. "The kid has been pushing herself too much."

"Why did you think she was pushing herself so hard out there today?" Peebee asked sarcastically.

"You were the one bringing her on a guilt trip. It was barely two weeks when she died again, Drack. You didn't watch her die to get us out. It was…," words choked in Peebee's throat, she took a deep breath to gather herself. "She has done it twice already and you spent the entire time being an asshole to her."

"That's different from this!" Drack roared. "She chose the salarians over krogans."

"What do you think she was doing today? Choosing Krogans over herself!"

"Enough!" Jaal shouted. "It's bad enough that Ryder is hurt. She wouldn't want to see you fighting."

Silence rang out like a bell outside the med bay. The red lock on the med bay door turned green and the door hissed open as Cora and Vetra exited. "How's Ryder?" Jaal asked rushing towards them.

"Lexi had to shock her three times before her heart would stay in a normal rhythm." Cora said, grimacing. "Her screams…"

"She is strong, Ryder will pull through," Vetra said as she put a comforting hand on Cora's shoulder. "I need a shower."

With that the crowd dispersed once they know Ryder was out of immediate danger. Jaal entered the Med Bay. His eyes took in the small form lying on one of the beds. All that was visible was Ryder's brown hair loose, no longer in her trademark pony tail. Her face pale and wane. The white blanket was pulled up to her chin. A mask still over her nose and mouth as her eyes were closed. "She is sleeping. Goddess knows she needs it," Lexi said.

Jaal took a chair and sat next to Lexi. "What caused this? The rocket?"

Lexi shook her head. "The rocket might have been the trigger but she is likely been suffering from symptoms of tachycardia for a while. She probably didn't realise its severity."

Jaal glanced at the sleeping form on the bed. His eyes staring at her chest as it moved up and down and up again. _She's still breathing, still alive_ "Is she cured? Will it happen again?", Jaal asked, turning his attention back to Lexi.

"That's remains to be seen. I need to do a more in depth scan of her heart. This something that SAM should have been able to detect when her symptoms first started," Lexi said. "SAM care to comment?"

"Dr. T'Perro, I was puzzling over this question myself," SAM replied, if an AI could sound perplexed, SAM sounded it now. "With the evidence I have can only conclude when the Archon took the Pathfinder's blood, he must have left something behind as well. It has disrupted my connection with the Pathfinder in a way that I cannot detect."

Lexi sat silently for a while, cogs turning in her head. "Will you be able to reverse the effects?", Jaal asked.

"Jaal, it would take some time to isolate this foreign bodies that is causing this. It might take more time that I would like given it was undetectable to me."

"I will give you a hand with this SAM. We cannot have our Pathfinder go through another round of this," Lexi said. "Knowing Ryder she would want to head towards Meridian once Suvi figured out a way to track it."

Jaal grunted. "She just keeps giving and giving. What if there isn't any more to give?" he said, burying his head into his hands.

"Don't despair, Jaal. Our Pathfinder is a big girl, with you by her side, she is made stronger."

 _Pain… maybe not as bad as pain but definitely an ache. Add sore to the list too._ Ryder could hear voices in the room but she loathed to open her eyes and return to the world. She knew as long as she had her eyes closed, she don't have to return to the world of responsibilities, pain inducing fights and world ending decisions. _Maybe I'm exaggerating a little, not world ending just life ending ones. If only I could just sleep and someone else can take care of the situation._

"Ryder?" Lexi called out. "Are you awake?"

She cracked a single eyelid open and looked at Lexi. "How did you know?"

"You were not breathing as deeply as before."

"Knew I could never hide anything from you."

"How are you feeling?" Lexi asked as she raised her omni tool to scan Ryder. "Any pain or soreness?"

"I'm fine," Ryder replied, a little too quickly, as she sat up on the bed, wincing as she did so. "Maybe not so fine."

"You got to take it easy for a while. Here, take these," Lexi handed her a couple of pills.

Ryder popped them into her mouth and dry swallowed them. "What are they for?"

"They are blood thinners, they are to prevent you from getting a stroke. You are not clear for active missions till you are done with this course of medication."

Ryder sighed. It's nothing that she didn't expect. Going back to active duty right after getting shocked was probably too much to hope for but there was just so much things to be done. "What caused the ahh… problem yesterday?" she asked.

Lexi filled her in with SAM interjecting with more details. Ryder listened as she pulled the leads off her chest. Her mouth twisted when she realised she was still in the bra and underwear from yesterday. _I need a shower._ "So basically, this whole thing may happen anytime again till you figure out what is causing the disruption?"

Lexi nodded. "I can't rule out it happening again. You might want to consider getting a pacemaker implanted so you don't have to go through that again."

Ryder laughed. "Yes, no more shock treatments for me, thank you very much. Do you have a pacemaker on board if I decide to get one?"

"We only have the external implant model. It's as effective as internal models but it kicks like a mule but it will do in a pinch. I can requisite the internal model from the Nexus."

"We don't have time to make a trip back to the Nexus," Ryder said as she pulled the sheets around her shoulders. "I'm expecting Suvi to solve the Meridian mystery any day now."

"Ryder, you are no good to anyone if you don't take care of yourself."

"Lexi, we don't have time," she said wearily. "If it comes back again, we'll do the external implant. If it doesn't then all's good."

Lexi frowned. She knew it was no use arguing with the Pathfinder. Once her mind was made it, it takes more than logic to change her mind. In that she was very much her father's daughter. Ryder slid off the bed and made to exit the med bay. "Remember to take it easy. Come back to me if you need some pain meds for that bruise you got."

Ryder left much better after a shower. She stood in front of the mirror. It's been a week since the shocking episode. _Ha! Shocking, get it?_ The bruise in the middle of her chest was turning into a sick shade of yellow and brown. Sighing, she exited and picked out her black Initiative clothes. "Is that tea I smell?" her nose picked up the fragrance of her favourite drink.

"Here," Jaal said as he handed her the cup.

She hummed a sound of pleasure and as she brought the cup to her mouth. "You are a life saver, Jaal," she said as she dragged the sound of his name out.

"Sara, Are you feeling better?"

The sound of her name in his low angarian voice sent a shiver down her spine. It didn't matter how many times she had heard her first name from his mouth, it never stopped the pleasure racing through her. Most of the time, the world knew her as Ryder, otherwise Pathfinder if they were strangers. Only one _(Ok maybe two, since Scott can't address me as Ryder, that will be just too weird.)_ called her Sara.

"Compared to last week, much," she turned and smiled. "But I am seriously bored. When will Lexi clear me for active duty? We can't afford to sit on our hands like this."

Though she sounded frustrated but Jaal noted her tired smile. "The rest did you good though didn't it, darliing one?"

Ryder sighed. "Yeah it did. One day's rest for the longer journey ahead huh?" she said as she rolled her shoulders. "But it has been a week!"

Jaal laughed at the furrow on her brow. Ryder had never been a person who allowed others to shoulder her burdens and her Pathfinder persona wasn't something she cast aside easily. "Well, we do need to stock up on supplies and prepare for the trip to Meridian," Jaal said as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "Maybe we could have a day out together?"

Ryder mused. _That definitely sounded good._ "Where is the nearest docking station from our current position, SAM?"

"That would be Kadara," SAM replied. "Would you like me to inform Kallo to make way to Kadara?"

Jaal's face soured at the mention of Kadara. "Hey, it was your suggestion. It'll be just one day," she coaxed. "And we do need the supplies."

Ryder could only stand so much coddling from the crew. Even Drack looked at her as if she was made of glass. "I'm fine guys," she pleaded in the end. "I am don't intend to make a repeat performance of the electifying show, all right?"

Liam snorted. "That's a horrible pun, Ryder. Don't mind us while we worry the shit out of our minds."

"You'll survive, I'm sure," Ryder laughed as she punched his arm lightly.

Her chest protested with a slight twinge. _Maybe I shouldn't do that._ "Cora, could you oversee the supplies acquisition?"

"Of course. Just have fun, kay?"

Ryder waved off the crew's concerns. "Ryder, you forgot your medications," Lexi said, handing her the pills. "That's the last ones and you will be ready for active duty tomorrow."

"Finally!" Ryder cheered as she popped the pills into her mouth.

"So… what are your plans?" he asked, his nose wrinkling at the fragrance of Kadara.

"Actually, I thought you were the one who suggested some R and R. I thought we could just head to Kralla's Song and just chill."

Jaal shrugged, "That would work for a start."

And what a start it was since it didn't take long for trouble to find the pair. Kralla's Song was pretty much empty at the time of day. The pair from the tempest were enjoying an afternoon beer and chatting away about random human idioms and angarian culture while Umi, the bartender kept the alcohol coming. Though the bar was quiet it was by no means totally void of other customers. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Ryder asked.

"Do you mean the trio of salarian, turian and human in the corner?" Jaal asked lightly with an air of nonchalance.

She laughed as if listening to a joke Jaal told. If Ryder didn't know better, she would have thought Jaal was blind to the stares from that particular table. "Yeah, that's the one.

The human looked as though he was typing a message on his omni tool. "The Collective?"

"Most likely, since I sided with Solane. Better the devil that's up front with you than the one hiding in the shadows, I say."

Jaal hummed his approval at her words. "Shall we leave? After all, I don't think I am cleared for active duty," she said. "Yet."

"Let's," he said as he stood up. "I've had enough of Kadara for a lifetime."

"It's not that bad, is it?"

The trio stood when they saw Ryder and Jaal made their way towards the exit. "Hey Pathfinder," the turian called out.

"I don't want any trouble here, take it outside," Umi warned. "You are not getting a second warning."

Ryder gripped Jaal's arm as they ignored the exchange to make their way towards the exit. _Fuck, I am definitely not dressed for combat. What was I thinking? Skipping hard shell armour on Kadara… Is it too much to hope for a peaceful resolution?_

The exit slid open to reveal another trio blocking their way. _Yep, it was too much to hope._ "Guys, I don't want any trouble," Ryder said as she geared up her biotics for a fight.

Jaal stepped between the newcomers and Ryder. His hand on his pistol lightly. _What I wish for my modified Kett rifle now._ "Get out of the way," he growled.

Ryder opened a private channel to SAM. "SAM, inform the team, we are in trouble at Kralla's Song. They need to be here five minutes ago."

"Message relay, Pathfinder. The team will be here shortly," SAM replied.

Ryder sighed. She turned and saw the trio inside the bar unsheathed their blades. _Damn, that's at least as long as my forearm. At least, they were armed with guns._ The salarian pulled a pistol from his back. _Fuck! Me and my stupid thoughts. I've just fucking jinxed us._

Ryder tapped Jaal three times on his back. He kept his eyes on the three in front, while she kept hers on the three behind. Three seconds ticked by quickly, Ryder ignored the lingering ache on her chest as she unleashed twin Singularities to the front and back while Jaal dropped to his knees as it whizzed past his ear. Then, all hell broke loose.

All six of them were pulled off their feet, rendering the blade wielder ineffective. Jaal was quickly back on his feet, taking cover at the edge of the door while attempting to close the door and lock it down. Ryder could hear the flick of the safety on the pistol being unlocked. _Fuck! Our backs are unprotected._ There was no time to think, she just reacted. She saw the salarian's arm raising with his pistol. It bucked once as the bullet exited the barrel. She threw herself to the left dodging the bullet. Without stopping, she Charged at the group and punch the salarian in the jaw. She heard the gun fire once as her punch jarred his grip. The gun dropped to the ground and she Pulled the gun towards her and neatly caught it from the air. At the same time, she heard the door hissed close behind her.

Unwilling to turn her back on the assholes who fell on the ground when the Singularity dissipated, she called out," Jaal, all good?"

"Yes Ryder, all good."

"SAM, what's the ETA on the team?"

"Pathfinder, they will be arriving in 57 seconds."

"Great, let's just all wait here then."

Right on the dot, 57 seconds later, they could hear the door open. Cora strode in with her pistol in one hand and a blue ball of biotic energy in the other. Hot on her heels were Drack with his shotgun at the ready and Liam with his omni blade extended. "Damn guys, you sure took your time."

Ryder sighed and found her legs weak once the rush of adrenaline was gone. "Pathfinder, what are you going to do about this," Umi asked as she spreads her hands at the utter mess her bar had become.

"Ehh… Put it on the tab?"

An eyebrow arched meaningfully at her direction. "Ok, ok. It was a joke," she placated tossing a credit chit towards Umi.

"Good work, kid!," Drack chuckled, taking in the carnage left around them. "You might be half krogan yourself."

"Ryder, what you do want to do with this bunch?", Cora asked, after securing the trio into biotic cuffs.

"I don't know? Hand them over to Solane, I guess? And tell her that her security sucks?"

"And have Solane jump you the next time we come back to Kadara," Cora retored. "Will do, Ryder. Could you for once have something boring happen to you?"

Ryder laughed. "I didn't ask for it. It just happened."

"Yeah, yeah. Sara Ryder, human Pathfinder and all round trouble magnet," Liam taunted.

"Ryder, you should head back to the Tempest lest more trouble comes knocking," Cora advised. "Liam, Drack let's get these assholes to Solane."

Ryder rubbed her hand over her chest and took a deep breath. Her heart rate was returning to the normal rate once the excitement was all gone. "Ryder, are you feeling ok?" Jaal asked, noticing her massaging.

"Yeah, just a little tired," she said as she stood. "Using biotics is hard work."

Jaal laughed as he curled his arm around her waist. "Pathfinder, Suvi wanted you to check in with her at your earliest convenience," SAM informed as they exited the bar.

Ryder stiffened. Her stomach knotted and clenched. _Why am I feeling this way?_ "Darling one?" Jaal asked as he stopped next to her. _Something is not right._

She turned and scanned her surroundings. Nothing looked out of place. "Duty calls," Ryder groaned, pretending everything was fine.

 _There! A glint! Fuck, a sniper!_ Ryder pushed Jaal down and a shot rang out.


	3. Red and Blue

**Chapter 3 - Red and Blue**

"Are you all right? Jaal!"

Ryder's voice was muffled and far away. A moan escaped from his lips as pain radiated from his leg. "Fuck! Jaal, stay with me."

Ryder glanced back at the spot where she noticed the sniper. _Damn! Of course, the sniper didn't stick around._ "SAM," Ryder shouted, her voice higher than usual with fear and panic colouring it. "Let Lexi know that Jaal has been shot."

"Understood Pathfinder," SAM replied.

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid! I really should have wore the hard shell. At least I'll have some medigel on me._ Her hands worked quick as she searched Jaal for medigel. "Jaal, look at me. No sleeping," she said as she tried to stem the blood flow that's already pooling on the ground.

 _The bullet must have nicked an artery. He could just bleed out here._ She tore open the only pack of medigel with her teeth and poured it over the bleeding wound. She removed her belt and tied it around his thigh. Jaal groaned as the sting of the gel hit but his clenched fists relaxed somewhat. "Sara, darling one, I don't feel so good," Jaal whispered, his voice quivering with blood loss.

 _No. No. No! How much can blood an angara possibly lose? Damnit, I have no idea._ "Come on, Jaal. On your feet, you've got to help me. I can't carry you by myself. It's not safe to be out in the open like this," Ryder urged.

Her stomach knotted tighter. She wasn't sure if was out of fear or if they weren't out of the woods just yet. Pulling Jaal's arm over her shoulder, she grunted as she pick him up. "Yes, walk. Back to the Tempest," Jaal mumbled.

Her heart clenched to see the pain that he was in. Ryder deployed a gentle biotic pull on Jaal to help ease his weight as they made their way as quickly as she could manage. Sweat beaded her forehead as her biotic amp at the base of her skull grew warm. A quick burst of biotic energy Ryder could pull it off, no problems but a sustained effort wasn't something she was trained for. Her heart pounded hard and quick in her chest as a crowd forming around them. Her eyes flicked from one person to the next, hoping there weren't any more assassins lurking around. Her muscles on her arms corded as she hefted Jaal higher to keep him from slipping. _I wish I could just blast them all out of the way._ She knew this wasn't the time to entertain idle murderous intent as enjoyable it might be.

Her stomach clenched tighter than it had before. Ryder turned as she heard a scuff of quick steps behind her. She reacted instinctively as she pushed Jaal clear of the assailant's extended omni blade. The blade buzzed as it sliced through the air Jaal was a moment before. It abruptly halted its forward motion before slashing side ways towards her unprotected side. Off balance, Ryder fell backwards to the ground. The blade scored her flesh and she screamed. Her concentration too frayed by the pain to summon any biotics. The arm that held the blade retracted before it plunged forward again. Ryder rolled hoping to get to her feet before the blade came down again. Pain lanced through her abdomen as the blade sank into her flesh. _Fuck! Too slow! Use the pain. Use it!_ She felt the blade twisted in her guts as she Throw the assailant with everything she had.

The human flew and only halted when he slammed into a pre-fab wall. The wall dented with the weight of the Throw. It wasn't a pretty sight. Red, white and grey decorated the wall where the assailant slammed onto. His head had basically exploded on impact. Brain matter and blood splattered onto those unlucky enough to be standing nearby. It didn't take long for the screams to start and the crowd to disperse. "Pathfinder, your heart rate is accelerating at a dangerous rate. You should seek medical aid," SAM informed.

"No shit, SAM," said Ryder, sitting up with a pained gasp. "Where did you think I was going in the first place?"

SAM didn't answer immediately. _Oh shit, I think I've stumped my AI._ "I'm sorry, Pathfinder. I didn't mean to imply that you're…" SAM said.

If it wasn't painful Ryder would have laughed. "SAM, now is not the time to distract me," she interrupted, breathlessly.

 _Hold it together. Jaal needs help._ The utter stupidity of not wearing her armour crossed her mind for the umpteenth time that day. The angara was totally limp and unconscious. She grimaced and shifted her grip of Jaal. The entire market was now void of life other than for two stumbling figures leaving a trail of blue mixing with red heading towards the docks. _Well, that's one way of emptying the place, not what I'd recommend though._

Lexi got Jaal to the med bay right away while Ryder stumbled in behind her. Her hands left smudges of red and blue over the cabinets as she fumbled for a couple packs of medigel for her own wounds. Lexi didn't have time to spare a glance for the Pathfinder. "Ryder are you all right?" she asked as her hands worked on extracting the bullet from Jaal's leg.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Nothing some medigel and a shower wouldn't fix," she gasped, catching her breath.

Ryder didn't trust herself enough to hang out in the med bay. Lexi probably didn't need the distraction of her hovering. "I think I'll go have a nap in my room, while you…"

Lexi nodded. "Jaal will be fine. It's good you applied the medigel and tourniquet as quickly as you did."

"That's good to know I didn't just killed him on a date," Ryder laughed as she pulled herself to the door.

"Erm… sorry about the mess." Ryder gestured at the bloody prints she left around the med bay.

Ryder barely made it to her own quarters. _It doesn't usually take this long to get back to my bed._ She pressed her palm against the door lock and left another bloody hand print. _Hmmm, more red than blue._ Her bed beckoned and Ryder complied by falling face first into it.

Lexi sighed with relief as she stitched Jaal's wound close. All she needed to do was just apply a layer of medigel to seal it before dressing the wound. She expected Ryder must have wore a groove outisde with her usual anxious pacing whenever one of the crew was hurt. Lexi turned and looked for a fresh pack of medigel. She stiffened for a moment. There was a blood smeared trail around her pristine office. Blue mixing with red. _How bad was Ryder hurt?_ Fear seized her heart. "SAM," Lexi called out. "Where is Ryder?"

"The Pathfinder has been in her quarters for the last 27 minutes," SAM responded.

Lexi tapped her omni tool. "Peebee, can you check on Ryder?"

Peebee stood outside Ryder's room. "SAM, unlock the door."

The door hissed open promptly. Ryder was lying on her stomach on the bed. "Ryder?" Peebee called tentatively.

 _She looks fine, just sleeping._ Peebee frowned slightly because she knew Lexi wouldn't be sending her here just on a whim. _I ought to check._

She placed her hand on Ryder's arm attempting to shake the Pathfinder awake. _She is clammy._ Ryder groaned. Looking groggily at Peebee without moving her head. "Ryder, are you all right?"

Peebee sat on the bed and turned Ryder onto her back. Her eyes widened when she saw the pool of blood soaking through the sheets. "I don't feel so good," Ryder confessed. _How much blood did she lose?_

The asari clamped down on her outward panic though her thoughts were screaming their heads off. She pressed her hands down on the wound on Ryder's abdomen, eliciting a pained moan from Ryder. With one hand on the bleeding wound and the other lifting the human up, Peebee moved as swiftly as she could towards the med bay.

Lexi turned as the door opened. Peebee entered with Ryder draped over her. There was a trail of blood dripping from the Pathfinder's soaked shirt. "Get her on the table now!"

She was just done attending to Jaal. There was nothing more she could do for the angara. He had to rest and get topped up on blood via the transfusion she already had got going. "Ryder, where were are your wounds?" Lexi asked as her scissors made quick work of Ryder's clothes. As her hand pulled the shirt away, Ryder's clammy hand stopped her. _She is going into shock._ "Is Jaal all right?"

"Ryder, he is fine. You are not," Lexi said. "You got stabbed and you didn't think to tell me?"

"Nothing medigel won't fix…" Ryder said weakly.

"Yeah, maybe. Under normal circumstances. Not when you are taking blood thinners!" Lexi almost yelled, exasperated. "Peebee, I need you to keep pressure on the wound. Don't let up no matter what."

Ryder's nerves felt like they were on fire as Peebee's cool hands pressed against her abdomen. "Sorry, Ryder," she apologised as Ryder moaned.

The heart rate monitor screeched as it registered Ryder's elevated heart rate. Lexi fitted the oxygen mask over Ryder's nose and mouth before looking at the two angry red wounds, one larger the other smaller. Both oozing blood. _How long ago did Ryder took the blood thinners?_ Her attention was pulled away when the monitor screamed again. Her eyes glanced at the monitor. She knew she didn't have much time. She had to stop the bleeding before she could address Ryder's tachycardia. _Installation of the implant is going to hurt._ Lexi took several packs of medigel and got the contents into large gauge blunt tipped syringes. She glanced at Peebee. "Hold her down."

Ryder watched the two asari exchanged a look. She didn't like it much. It only meant one thing - pain. Peebee moved her hands from her wound to her shoulders. Lexi plunged the syringe into her wound and depressed the plunger. The medigel was cold and it stung but it also took the edge off the burning sensation on her abdomen. She didn't have to scream, the heart rate monitor did the work for her. Before she could gather herself, Lexi injected another 2 more syringe's worth of medigel into the wound.

Ryder's world became a haze of pain. Her vision darken around the edges threatening to overwhelm her. _No, no… Not the dark again._ She couldn't quite register what was happened around her. Her body jerked in response to the things Lexi was doing while Peebee was held her down. Her world narrowed into the ceiling of the med bay, the screams of the monitor and Peebee's endless litany of apologies.

Lexi packed Ryder's wound with medigel and gauze before bandaging it up. _It just has to hold for now._ It wasn't the perfect solution but till the blood thinners were out of Ryder's system, it's the best she could do. _Medigel work miracles but up to a point._ "Hey Ryder," Lexi called.

Ryder turned her head towards Lexi, her abdomen throbbed and buzzed in a bass line counter to the screech of the heart rate monitor in an awful symphony. "Remember the pacemaker I told you about?"

Ryder nodded numbly. "I don't think you should delay any longer. We should get it installed once the blood thinners are out of your system."

"How long?" Ryder asked.

"At least 24 hours."

"Ok, do it."

"I don't it's safe to put you under to do it given the blood loss and shock you had endured. I'll have to do it while you are conscious."

Ryder closed her eyes. "Don't worry about it, Lexi," she spoke through the pain. "Do what you must."

Peebee's hands shook as she washed them. Her hands were red, the soap red, the water red, everything just stained red with Ryder's blood. She took a shuddering breath. She had never expected this was how the Heleus adventure would go. She had expected exploration, discovery and all around fun but it had been constant danger and dire consequences. _How does Ryder do it? How does she put herself through all this and still smile at the end of the day?_

A hand landed on her shoulder and she jumped. "Hey, sorry," Cora said. "I heard what happened. You did good."

Peebee nodded mutedly. Cora frowned. This wasn't like Peebee at all to not have a joke or quip ready for every occasion. She shook her head and squeezed Peebee's shoulder. Peebee's brain felt numb and her emotions fried. "Any updates on Ryder?" she asked, her voice small and drained.

"She is sleeping now. Lexi says to let her recover her strength. The implant surgery is not going to be easy on her."

"Jaal?"

"He will be fine but he will be off his feet for a while. It was a near thing. If Ryder hadn't been quick…" Cora looked away, anger surging up her gut.

As a soldier she knew the dangers of combat but they were here in Heleus to start a new life, not drag all the old shit here. "Fucking Vidal!" Cora slammed her fist on the counter. "I will end him."

"Hey, hey," Peebee said as she wrapped her arms Cora, leeching the anger from Cora's shoulders. "I know but now is not the time. We have an Archon to defeat."

"Yeah I know," Cora hugged Peebee back. "Suvi has figured out a way to track Meridian. Ryder will probably wants to go for it once she is up on her feet."

"Knowing Ryder, a couple of stab wounds will not keep her down. We all need this to end."

"Don't I know it."

Drack peered into the med bay through the open door. Jaal in one bed while Ryder was in the other. Drack couldn't help but growled low in his throat. _No way am I going to let this slide. Nobody attempts murder my people and gets away with it._ He took an step gingerly towards Ryder's bed. Her eyes were closed but her brow were knitted together. Her sleep obviously not restful if pain could trouble her. Drack dragged his eyes to the white bandages wrapped around Ryder's body. He could see red seeping through and mingling among the white. _Damn it, kid. Squishy humans should leave scar collecting to the krogans._ Another low growl rumbled deep in his throat.

Drack felt a slap smacking down on his side. He whirled around quickly ready to smash his elbow into the head of the offender. "Oh Lexi, it's you," he grumbled, dropping his arm to his side.

Lexi's eyes flashed. She put a finger to her lips, a human gesture for silence and pointed at the two in the med bay. Then, she beckoned him to follow. They walked towards the cargo bay. "Are you trying to wake them up? What are you doing there?" Lexi hissed.

"I…I just wanted to see how they were doing," Drack said sheepishly. "I was quiet."

"You were as quiet as a small earthquake," Lexi said. "And I am not talking about your foot steps."

"Sorry."

Lexi sighed and leaned forward over the railing looking as Liam and Gil trying to distract themselves with busy work in the cargo bay. She glanced at her omni tool where Ryder's and Jaal's vital signs were linked to. Drack joined her. "Are you all right?"

Lexi looked at the old krogan. "Just tired," she confessed.

"Ryder has came me very busy since I joined the Pathfinder team," she laughed ruefully.

Drack snorted.

Ryder opened her eyes. Dried tears made it hard to open them. The dreadful screech of the heart rate monitor was mercifully mute now. Her abdomen ached but nothing intolerable. Her mouth dry but she didn't care at the moment. _Jaal._ She turned her head and saw him on the other bed. _What a pair we make._ She watched Jaal, his chest rising and falling, a white bandage around his left thigh.

A tremor swept through her body as she remembered the bullet hitting flesh, Jaal's body. Anger built in her chest as she clenched her left hand, her dominant hand, the hand that would pull the trigger. _If only I had shot Vidal in the back then._ She didn't know it was possible to regret being merciful, to live and let live. _Heleus is hell bent on curing me of naivety._ Before Ryder could entertain thoughts of revenge, the door to the med bay opened. Lexi entered. Ryder turned and their eyes met. "It's time."

Ryder nodded. Lexi pulled a bouffant cap over Ryder's head and hair before donning one herself. With a tap on Lexi's omni tool, a privacy field surrounded around her bed, cutting out Jaal from her field of vision. Then, she started laying out her tools on a side table. Scalpels, clamps, gauze, the implant, a set of restrains and many other things that Ryder had no idea what they were for but the last one, Ryder winced inwardly as Lexi placed it on the table. It was a medical drill. She swallowed and clenched her fists to still their shaking. Lexi turned back to her and secured a surgical mask over her nose and mouth. "I'll have to intubate you."

Ryder wasn't a stranger to hospital or surgeries. After her mother got sick, she spent a lot of time in the hospital. Listening to doctors spew their medical jargons at both Scott and her, forced Ryder to research and learn more than she ever wanted to know. Intubation was something she was familiar with.

For all the help that the doctors were able to do for her mother, her mother faded and died. Ryder trusted Lexi. More importantly, she had a job to do, a mission to complete.

Lexi removed the oxygen mask from Ryder's nose and mouth. "Open your mouth," Lexi instructed and a suction tube was introduced to her mouth before replacing it with a pad. Her already dry mouth got desert dry.

Lexi removed the pad and sprayed a topical anaesthetic deep in Ryder's throat. Numbness slowly spread in her mouth. It didn't take long before the endotracheal tube was being pushed in down her mouth. Ryder gagged a little as the tube passed through her throat. It wasn't painful but Ryder had to admit it was far from comfortable. "Are you all right?" Lexi asked as she secured the tube with tape. "Don't try to talk, just nod or shake your head."

Ryder rolled her eyes and nodded. "These restrains are just in case, all right?"

Ryder took a deep breath or rather the ventilator took a deep breath for her. Gently, Lexi secured her hands to the bed frame. Ryder's stomach knotted not in pain but in a wave of panic. Being helpless and tied down wasn't her idea of a fun time at least not when she was about to be cut open. Lexi sterilised her chest with liberal amount of steriliser right where her heart was thumping wildly away. Then, with a swift motion, a sharp prick pierced her chest as Lexi injected a strong local anaesthetic into the deep tissue of her chest. Lexi attached a clear shield over her face. Ryder's eyes followed Lexi's hand as she picked up the medical drill. Their eyes met. "Ryder, I'll advise you to keep your eyes close."

 _Best idea ever._ Her world turned to darkness but her ears were filled the hiss of the ventilator and the whine of the medical drill powering up. Ryder steeled herself.


	4. Recovery and Preparations

**Chapter 4 - Recovery and Preparations**

Ryder pulled her arm through the sleeve and winced. It seemed that pulling and pushing motions were out of her repertoire for the moment. Button up shirts were the only thing she could manage by herself, unless she didn't mind walking around topless. _No way!_ Her chest was no longer black and blue though so that's an improvement. _Yay!_ It had been four days since the implantation, five since Jaal almost lost his life. _No, none of that. He is fine and stop thinking about it!_ She spent two days recovering from the operation before being let loose to rest in her own quarters. Lexi made sure to extract a promise from her to come by for daily checks and scans. _And the dressing is finally coming off and I get to see my heart's very own SAM._

Ryder sighed. There had been too much down time for her recently. It was just one thing after another - a series of shit hitting numerous fans. _And heading back to the Remnant City is next on our to do list. After that, Meridian._ Cora had reported to Ryder as soon as Lexi released her from the med bay. Orders were given and they were on their way to pick up the last probe. Once the probe was collected, it would be a quick jump to Remnant City. _And maybe I will finally see the light at the end of the fucking tunnel. Let's not be TOO optimistic._

"Pathfinder, Jaal had been pacing outside your door for the past 3 minutes and 47 seconds."

 _Damn, putting on clothes is taking far longer than I like._ She straightened her black Initiative shirt and palmed the door open. "Yes, Jaal?" she asked, her eyes couldn't help but to glance at his leg. "Should you even be up walking?"

Jaal laughed though it didn't reached his eyes. Ryder's heart sank a little. _That's what interacting with human teaches the angaras, to hide their true feelings. It isn't right._ "Jaal, what's wrong?" she asked. "You are no good at lying, please don't."

Jaal's laughter died on his lips. He couldn't bring himself to meet Ryder's hazel eyes. _I failed you._ "It's time for your check with Lexi." he deflected.

Ryder stood her ground, studying Jaal with intently. She didn't speak for a long moment. Jaal was sure she saw more than he wanted her to. The moment seemed to pass when she huffed a small sigh and walked towards the med bay.

Ryder sank down onto the bed. "How's your leg, Jaal?" Lexi asked as she waved her omni tool over Ryder's chest.

"It's fine. The wound had closed completely."

"No pain or soreness?"

"None," Jaal replied and found Ryder staring at him. _Stars, this woman can read me like a scroll._ "Maybe a little soreness."

Ryder dropped her eyes and returned her attention to Lexi. "Ryder, your implant is working perfectly. Now I need to check the wound site. Please take off your shirt."

Ryder shrugged the shirt off her shoulders after unbuttoning it. The fabric gathering around her back. Goosebumps flared across her back in the cool air. Lexi pulled the gauze that was taped to her chest. Ryder winced a little at the motion. Looking down at her own chest, she saw two silver circular discs, roughly 3cm in diameter, right over her heart. "Now if only they glow then I'll be Iron Man," Ryder quipped.

Lexi arched a questioning eyebrow. "Just an old comic character, don't mind me."

"Lift your arms straight in front of you," Lexi instructed. Ryder complied. "Any pain?"

Ryder shook her head. "How about to sides?"

She winced with the motion but accomplished it nonetheless. "I see your muscles is sensitive to the motion."

"Lexi, it is plenty sensitive," Ryder complained, putting her arms down.

"Here are some painkillers to take the edge off. It is mostly healed. Your body just need to adjust to the implant. You don't have to dress the wound any longer."

Ryder nodded as she buttoned her shirt again. "So I'm as good as new?"

"More or less. It's as much as I can do here on the Tempest. It is still best to check in at the Nexus Medical centre," Lexi answered.

"You know my decision regarding this, Lexi."

"Let's just say I understand why you are doing this but I don't like it. We need you at your 100%, Pathfinder," Lexi scolded.

"You got to play with the hand you're dealt with."

Lexi sighed. _There is no talking with the Ryder's stubbornness._

"Pathfinder," SAM called. "We've retrieved the final probe."

"Thank you, SAM. Duty calls, Lexi," said Ryder as she hoped off the bed and fled before Lexi could nag any further.

Lexi looked at Jaal as he made to follow. "Take care of her, Jaal."

Jaal nodded and the door hissed close.

Jaal found Ryder staring at the terminal on the bridge, trying to make sense of the data pulled from the three probes. Her fingers flying across the screen as she worked while she was in communication with SAM. That's the Ryder everyone knew and saw, the brilliant human Pathfinder that was thrust to her fate by chance. An effective leader that led a multi-species crew on a fast and nimble ship. Jaal saw more than the Pathfinder before him. His eyes traced the furrow of her brow from the burden of the role, the slight shift her weight away from her bad side from the pain of her wounds and the set of her shoulder that spoke of her determination to see this through. Jaal couldn't help but smile at the sight. _I never thought I'll love an alien._

Then, his memories jolted to the fore front. He had woke up, blurry eyed and a dull throbbing in his leg. The whine of a drill broke through his confusion. He couldn't see what was going on exactly on the next bed but from the silhouette, he could make a very good guess. _Ryder! What happened?_ The figure on the bed was restrained and attempted to keep still as the other pressed the drill down and downwards. The one on the bed neither screamed nor cried but he could hear a choked moan barely contained behind clenched teeth.

"Just a little more," Lexi's voice said, slightly muffled.

The figure on the bed sagged back into the bed totally defeated. For a moment, Jaal wanted to get off the bed and beat the privacy field down. Before he could swing his weight down, he saw the figure on the bed nod once and the whine of the drill filled the room.

"SAM, could you check my work?" Ryder's voice roused him from his unpleasant memories.

Their eyes met for an instant but Jaal had to look away, pretending to be checking messages his omni tool. He could see Ryder frowned out of the corner of his eye before she continued her conversation with SAM. _Sara, my darling one, It pains me that I can't take the suffering from you._ His leg throbbed as if reminding him of his failure and carelessness. _I'm ashamed of myself. How can I seek your forgiveness if I can't forgive myself?_

"So back to the Remnant City?" Ryder asked.

"Yes, that's right, Pathfinder."

"Kallo, you know what to do."

"Setting course to the Civki system, Ryder. ETA 20 hours."

Ryder nodded. "SAM, please inform the crew to meet me in the meeting room in 15," she instructed. "Suvi, you did great! Without you, we might never have found Meridian."

"I just did my part, we all did," Suvi replied, smiling with pride.

"So this is it," Ryder said as she looked at the small crowd before her. "We have been chasing the Archon for months. We were always 2 steps behind him. Now we have a chance to turn tables on him."

Nobody shifted, nobody having whispered conversations among themselves. Everyone's eyes were on her. _Such a far cry from my first speech._ She swallowed the snort of laughter that threatened to spoil her fearsome leader exterior. "We are returning to the Civki system. There we will seek the true location of Meridian. Our mission is simple. After that, all we have to do is to stop the Kett and activate Meridian. Simple, actually," she said wryly.

The team laughed. _Damn does it feel good that everyone can still laugh._ "All kidding aside, we have a job to do and we will do it well. Everyone is counting on us, not just the Milky Way people but the angaras as well," Ryder continued, looking at Jaal who inclined his head at her.

"We will arrive the Civki system in 20 hours."

"19 hours and 45 minutes, Pathfinder." SAM corrected.

"Yes what the smartass said," Ryder continued without missing a beat. "You know what you need to do. Let's get this done!"

As the crew left, each one of them stopped by to exchange a few words with her. Gil was the first. "Don't worry about the Tempest, I'll make sure I keep her humming all the way to Meridian and back."

"I knew I could count on you, Gil," she replied, punching him lightly on his arm. "We have to play another around of poker once we are done."

"I never say no to free credits, Ryder," he laughed as he left.

"The Tempest will fly straight and true and she is always ready for a quick getaway," Kallo said.

"Let's hope it will never come to that," Ryder laughed.

"You and me, both," said Suvi as she reached over to give Ryder a hug.

Lexi came forward next but Ryder forestalled her with a palm. "No more nagging, mom," Ryder whined.

Lexi frowned before breaking out into a smile. "You know what you need to do," she said. "I believe in you. Just come back in one piece. I have never been busier since I get on the Tempest."

"I'll try my best." Ryder smiled. "Thank you, Lexi"

Vetra and Drack walked over to Ryder and towered over her. "Hey, Pathfinder," Vetra said wryly.

"Hey yourself, smuggler."

"Kid, good speech but not as good as mine," Drack said.

"Drack, next time you make one," Ryder replied. "You know that I am sorry about the scouts, right?"

He waved her apologies away. "What's done is done," he declared with finality.

"On that note, Drack let's go prep our weapons and armour," Vetra said as she steered the krongan away.

Liam approached and clapped his hand on Ryder's shoulder. She moaned in exaggerated pain as she doubled over. "Liam! What the fuck!" Peebee said as she hurried over to Ryder's side, catching the wink in Ryder shot her.

"Shit, Ryder! I'm so sorry!" Liam tried to help Ryder up.

"Gotcha!" Ryder said as she laughed.

"Damn it, Ryder! It's not funny," Liam protested.

"It is."

"Yeah it is," Peebee agreed, as the rest laughed.

"No, no laughing," Ryder said as she held her bad side. "Laughing hurts."

"Serves you right, Ryder," Liam said as he exited.

"Ryder," Cora said.

"Cora."

"I'm be by your side till the end."

"About that." Ryder opened her mouth and then closed it again. "I want you to command the second team for this trip."

Cora's brows knitted together instantly. "Why?"

"Erm, just in case," Ryder said, in weak explanation. _Remember Habitat 7?_

Cora's jaw tightened as she turned the idea around in her head. Her eyes widened slightly as she caught Ryder's unspoken meaning. "I understand but since I am in charge of the second team, I'll decide when I need to bail you out of trouble."

"Ahh, that's not what I meant," Ryder started.

"No, you put me in charge of the back up so I'll decide."

Ryder closed her mouth. She knew Cora well enough to know to take what victories she could. _She is the ex asari commando not me. I'm just a lowly ex Alliance Corporal_ Without another word, Cora turned on her heels and leaving Jaal and Ryder alone in the meeting room.

"Sara," Jaal said.

"Yes, Jaal."

"I…" he started and stopped when he saw the frown on her face.

"No, don't say it," Ryder interrupted.

"How do you know what I was going to say?"

"You were about to apologise, right?"

Jaal kept his mouth shut. _Stars, am I an open scroll?_

"I was right. No. No apologising. No words," she said as she threaded her five fingers into his and pulled him along.

"SAM, what's the ETA?" Ryder whispered.

"5 hours and 23 minutes."

"Thanks, SAM"

Ryder raised from the bed and glanced at Jaal snoring lightly on the bed. She couldn't really sleep, she had too much going on in her mind. Even if she couldn't do much but rest her eyes, she was glad Jaal managed to sleep. Her eyes travelled from his rising and falling chest down his lean body to his legs. She knew Jaal wasn't completely healed. _Who recovers from a gunshot wound in a few days anyway?_ Physically, he was as well as he could be considering circumstances but Ryder didn't understand the guilt that was clear in Jaal's eyes. Annoyance flared in the pit of her stomach. _I'm a big girl, I don't need protection. I should be the one protecting my people since I lead this damn ship. I hope he isn't going to pull some male protective shit on me._ With a small huff, she padded out of her quarters and headed off to make a cup of tea for herself. The galley was mercifully empty at the moment.

She found herself back at the meeting room. Her heart felt heavy. _This could be it. Who knows how fast things will move once we get boots on the ground._ She rubbed her fingers over her temples. _I should call Scott just to… well to make sure everything is good, just in case. Ahhh… me and my morbid thoughts._

She activated the vid call and waited. It didn't take too long before Scott's face popped up on the screen in front of her. "Hey sis!" Scott said as he smiled.

"Scott, how's things at the Hyperion?"

"Good, everything is fine. You know Harry cleared me for active duty?"

"That's great news and about fucking time you pull your weight around here," she teased. "So where are you going to be assigned?"

"Sara," Scott said in mock horror. "You seemed to have developed quite a potty mouth!"

Ryder sank back into her chair. It's true she is no longer the young naive albeit trained solder from Sol. _More like a glorified security guard actually…_ Heleus had changed her, hell it had changed everyone and everything. Who had expected the Kett or the Remnant or the Scourge? "Earth calling Sara? Hello?" Scott called breaking her from her thoughts. "Are you all right?"

She waved his concerns off. "I'm fine," she gave her standard answer.

"You know that's not going to work on me, right?" Scott had his hands on his hips. "I'm your twin after all. You are fine huh? I'll believe it when I see it."

Ryder's smile faltered and sighed. "It has been a rough couple of weeks," she admitted. "We are en route to the Remnant City, then Meridian."

"Meridian, isn't that what the Archon was looking for?"

Ryder nodded. She had told Scott a little about her mission but didn't reveal much details since he wasn't technically part of the Pathfinder team or the Nexus leadership. _Who knows this whole shit might be classified._ "Stop that," Scott barked.

Ryder jerked her eyes to meet his. "Stop disappearing inside your head. We are having a conversation here," Scott continued. "I know you have had it tough since Dad and being Pathfinder but I know you Sara. You're trained by Dad, we both were. I know what you are capable of. You will get it done."

The ends of her lips quirked upwards a little. "Awwww, little brother, you say such nice things," she laughed. "Thanks Scott. I really needed the kick in the ass."

"Anytime, Sara. Take care of yourself." Scott's face turned serious. "Come home. I'll be waiting."

She nodded. "I will. Count on it. Sara, out."

Scott gave her a mock Alliance salute before the screen went black. She sat in the dim light of the meeting room as she absorbed Scott's words. She chuckled a little. _I guess I needed a pep talk from my little brother._

"Pathfinder," SAM said.

"Yes?"

"Cora is requesting you meet her in the armoury."

"Thank you SAM, I'll be there."

As she left the meeting room, Ryder felt lighter than she had in weeks. Talking to Scott had been good for her.

Ryder entered the bridge and turned a left to head to the armoury. _I will never understand why the armoury is on the bridge. Shouldn't it be at the cargo bay with the Nomad? That's where we grab our gear before heading out for a mission anyway._

"So what's the team setup?" Cora asked as Ryder entered the armoury.

Ryder eyed the rifle that Cora had broken down in front of her. It seemed Cora had been cleaning and re-oiling the parts. "I will be bringing Drack for fire power and Peebee for any Remnant tech we might encounter," Ryder decided, she had spent the time on her bed musing about team configurations.

"You're not taking Jaal?" Cora asked.

"I know he will be my first choice for any tech but Peebee knows more about the Remnant," Ryder justified.

"Yeah, Peebee will be a better choice for this." Cora nodded in agreement. "I'll have Vetra and Liam with me on the back up team."

Ryder nodded. "Thanks for understanding, Cora."

"I understand but I still disagree, Ryder," Cora stated. "I think both teams should enter head down to the City."

Cora held up a palm to stop Ryder's protests. "But I understand why you want me to stay behind," Cora repeated. "Just in case."

"Yeah, just in case."

"Ryder," Kallo's voice came through her overhead speakers. "We are in the final descent to the Civki system. ETA 30 minutes."

"Understood, Kallo. Thanks."

Ryder turned back to Cora to find her looking at her. She cocked her head questioningly at Cora. "Your Dad would have been proud of you," Cora answered the unspoken question. "You have come far."

The ache in her heart was still there but it had wasn't the raw wound that it was a few months ago. Ryder allowed herself a small smile. "We all have," she replied before slapping her hand on Cora's shoulder. "Come on, we have to get into armour."

The entire team were already assembled at the cargo bay. Most of them in some state of undress as they pulled on their armour. Ryder was dressed in thigh length black Initiative tights and a black sports bra. _I would love to be wearing my under armour but there wasn't any time to buy a replacement since Lexi sliced up my last suit._

Jaal came over to help her with the buckles. The chest plate tighten almost uncomfortably as the buckles were snapped in place. _The painkillers must be wearing off._ Ryder picked up her Mattock and Disciple. With practised ease she slid them onto the magnetic holsters on her back. Finally, she picked up her trusty Carnifex and pushed it into her custom left hip holster. _Perks of a lefty Pathfinder - customised shit._ Jaal handed her spare thermal clips as well as a couple of ration bars along with a canteen of water.

Once everything was squared away, Ryder took stock of the activity in the cargo bay. Almost everyone was in their armour and double checking, triple checking their gear. There was no room for error. This was it. Time to show the Kett what the Milky Way was made of. "Ryder," Jaal whispered.

Ryder turned her attention back to Jaal. She knew he would be the only one left behind to defend the Tempest if Cora needed to bail her out. "Darling one," his voice wavering a little. It was faint but it was there - an undercurrent of anger and guilt.

"Jaal, I need you to defend the Tempest," she said, reading his anger. "We need you here to be the last line of defence."

Their eyes met. The noise of the cargo bay faded into a symphony of white noise. She placed her armoured hands over his face, stretching higher than was comfortable to do so. Jaal bent down to accommodate. _Why on earth are angaras so tall?_ She felt his warmer breath over her face before she gently pressed her lips over his, nipping his lower lip lightly. It was a very chaste kiss by all standards but this wasn't the time or place to indulge. "It's not nice to distract me like this," Jaal murmured into her skin.

Ryder chuckled. "It's worked didn't it?"

A little bit of Jaal's tension melted away with their kiss. Ryder released his head and Jaal straightened again. A small smile playing upon his mouth. He sucked his lower lip, tasting the tea that she had drank. "Come home, Sara," Jaal unknowingly echoed Scott's words.

"I will."

She took a deep breath. _Show time._


	5. Third Death

**Chapter 5 - Third Death**

A million tiny needles stabbed her mind. In and out, in and out. Pain and white light flashed behind her eyes. Ryder shuddered as she staggered forward. "SAM…," Ryder cried as she tried steady her wavering legs. "What's going on?"

Silence.

A rush of fear filled Ryder. "SAM!" she shouted.

A whine of white noise filled her ears suddenly as she arched her back in agony. Underneath the whine she could make out Peebee and Drack's voices. Panic was clear in their shouts but it sounded all so far away. Ryder felt utterly disconnected from her body, as if it was all happening to someone else. Then a voice blared in her head.

" **I believed you were a fitting rival but you are a false thing. A lie."**

 _No… That voice… Get out of my head!_ Shadows threatened at the edge of her vision. Her arms braced against the console, the only thing that was keeping her from falling to the ground. **"I left you a present the last time I saw you. Did you enjoyed it? I have."**

 _What did the fucking Archon do to me!_ "Argh!" she screamed as another wave of excruciating pain swept through her body. Memories of their last meeting flashed into her mind. The needle, sharp and wicked, a quick plunge down the back of her neck. Darkness and death that swallowed her whole. A jolt slammed into her heart, pulling her back to the present

" **I let you find Meridian. Thank you for doing the hard work for me."**

 _Fuck!_ Pain radiated through her chest. _No, not when we are so close._

 **All of Heleus will be exalted starting with Eos.**

 _No way in hell am I allowing that to happen._ Ryder gritted her teeth, her hands made fists as she tried to ride out the wave of torment. She felt fragile as if she was made of glass. One wrong move she would just shatter into a million pieces and never be put back again.

 **All I need to start is an implant like yours and thanks to your memories I know just where to get one.**

 _Scott! Shit, Scott has to be warned._ Another jolt slammed against her chest and drove her to her knees. _I don't think I can take much more of this. It's just…_ And thought fled her, there was nothing but pain. Pain in her head, pain in her chest. There was a war being waged inside her, destined to rip her apart from within. It took all her effort to just keep breathing.

 **Fall to darkness, Pathfinder.**

The darkness at the edges of her vision took over and Ryder didn't even feel her head slamming onto the cold hard floor. "Ryder!" Peebee yelled as she frantically tapped at her omni tool. "Come in Tempest the Pathfinder is down. I repeat the Pathfinder is down."

"Ryder." A synthetic voice cackled from his omni tool.

 _Who's that? I have no time for this._ Alarms were blaring, klaxons were screaming and the Hyperion was shaking like a bone in a dog's mouth. His hands worked quickly to put on a standard issue Initiative hard shell armour.

"Scott Ryder."

 _Oh. It's talking to me._ Scott had been recovering from his coma for months. Then, he past even more time completing his course of physical therapy. In the med bay, which had continued to be his home, he was always Scott, never Ryder. When Ryder was used, it was always refering to Sara, the Pathfinder. "Yes?" Scott replied tentatively out loud at his omni tool.

"Scott, this is SAM," the synthetic voice said. "I need your help."

"Me? What do you need me for? Is Sara all right?" Scott asked as he scrambled out of the med bay, buckling the last couple of clasps of his chest piece. "Do you know what's happening?"

"The Kett forces are sweeping the ship and they are looking for you." SAM informed.

 _Me?_ Before Scott could ask, SAM continued, "The Archon has hijacked my link to the Pathfinder and terminated her basic function. If we don't restore it, the Pathfinder will die."

Scott froze. _Sara, die?_ "No!" he started moving again. "Tell me what you need me to do!"

"Head to the station ahead and arm yourself."

Scott did as he was told. _Hang on, Sara._ His fingers felt fat and useless as he fumbled with the Carnifex and clip. _My fine motor functions need some more work. At least I hope I am not panicking._ Scott took a deep breath to steady himself. _I can do this. I am trained for this. Hell, I was even good at this. Sara needs my help._ He kept that mantra going in his head as gun shots rang out all around him. He caught sight of his first Kett soldier. _Wow, Sara wasn't kidding, they are ugly._

"Why me?" he asked, hoping to distract himself from his shaky hands.

"The Archon wants you and me. Your implant is the same as the Pathfinder's. He wants to use us to control Meridian."

"That sounds like a recipe for disaster if we fall into his grimy green hands." Scott's attempt of a joke sounded hollow to his ears.

"Yes, it would." SAM replied not realising it was a joke. "I will try my best to keep you safe. But the Pathfinder will die."

"Because the Archon will kill Sara?"

"No," SAM said after a brief pause. _Is SAM sad?_

"Losing me will."

Scott sucked a breath through clenched teeth. He took a moment to steel himself before he break from cover. Keeping both hands on his pistol he allowed his training to take over. Before he knew it his clip was empty, he released the magazine and he slammed another into place. "Why would losing you kill Sara?"

Again, another pause. _Is it me or is SAM sounding very human?_ "I took over too much of the Pathfinder's implant when I was transferred to her and losing me will kill her. We're too intertwined."

Scott shook his head in frustration. _Damn that coma! When did that happen?_ Silently he fumed. This was the first time people spoke of events as if it was common knowledge but Scott was totally clueless. He blamed Sara for not telling him of the events that ended with their father dead and her the Pathfinder. Even the missions she led or the work she was trying to do, he barely know half of it. _Damn, Sara, we were always partners. Why didn't you say anything?_ He emptied his clip into the oncoming Kett forces. "Head to the med bay, the way there is clear," he shouted as civilians ran past him.

"Hurry, Scott."

 _All that matters now is Sara._ "Where to, SAM?"

"Head to the maintenance shaft."

"On it."

Scott emerged from the corridor to a full fledged fire fight. He couched behind cover. "Captain Dunn," he called. "I need to get to the maintenance shaft."

"SAM has informed me," she replied, slipping out of cover to fire her rifle. "Go! We will cover you."

"Yes, madam!" Scott yelled, he would have jumped up and give her a salute if wasn't for the bullet and energy beams flying all around them. _Shit, I'm down to my last couple of clips._ He waited for a lull in the fire fight before dashing over to the shaft, allowing his shield to take any stray hits. "Head to the QEC, Scott. You can manually send a reboot signal. It will reset the Pathfinder's implant and should restore the functions that I shouldn't have taken.

"Will that fix Sara?" he asked as he pumped his legs faster. _I'm suddenly glad for all the physical therapy that Harry put me through._

"Only her basic function," SAM said. "Everything else will require a hard link to my node."

Scott didn't bother answering as he slapped his palm over the holo lock. The door hissed open and he started looking for the correct console for the task. "With luck, it would restart her heart."

"Luck?" Scott asked, incredulously. "Do you mean luck or hope?"

"I'm not sure…"

 _Damn, was that doubt? This is not good._ "I'm here, SAM." he said, panting slightly.

"One pulse, Scott. That's all the Pathfinder needs."

"Fingers crossed, SAM." Scott said, his hand hovering over the controls. "This probably will alert the Archon to my location though."

"I'm sorry, Scott."

"Me too," Scott laughed, mirthlessly. "SAM. Me too."

Scott slammed his hand down on the controls as the Kett forces swarmed their way into the QEC. _It has been a good run._

 _No, no, no! Not like this._ Drack put his weight into it but the door was just not budging. He backed up and took a running start and slammed into the door again and again and again. _Hang on, kid!_

All four of his hearts contracted in anxiety as he listened to Peebee's attempts to give chest compressions to Ryder. The giant room they were in was eerily silent, making Peebee's and his own heavy breathing exceptionally loud.

Peebee's eyes were blurred with tears left unshed. Her arms ached as she pushed. _This isn't helping! I should be working that console to get that goddess damned door open._ There was an audible crack. _Goddess, I just broke her rib._ Still, she couldn't bring herself to stop, stopping felt like giving up, stopping means was Ryder's gone, really gone.

Ryder's easy smile flashed before her eyes but the reality literally was right in her face. Ryder was still, her eyes closed and she wasn't breathing. _She's dead!_ Peebee's shoulders screamed in protest as she slowed and then finally stopped. The tears that threatened to spill down her face were flowing freely now. _Ryder's dead._

Silence reigned. There was only Peebee's quiet sobs and Drack's exertions against the door. Seconds ticked by and they stretched into minutes.

Without any warning, Ryder jerked into a sitting position. Her lungs worked double time as she gasped air like a drowning turian. Her eyes were open, wide open. Her breaths loud in her ears as she concentrated to get air. A jolt sent pain through her chest and her heart began to slow to a regular pace. Then, her world snapped back into focus.

"Ryder, you were dead!" Peebee shouted before wrapping herself over Ryder.

 _Really? A-fucking-gain? How long was it this time?_ Her chest hurt if she tried to breath too deeply. She rubbed her hand over her ribs. With a hiss of contained pain, she clenched her teeth as she touched her broken rib. _No time to think about that. We've get back to the Tempest. The Hyperion is in danger!_

Drack jerked and watched Ryder levering herself to her feet when Peebee released her. A wide smile plastered on his face. "Ryder, what are you doing?" he shouted.

She didn't have the energy to answer instead she just headed towards the console. Her limbs were shaking as they struggled to obey her. "Argh!" she cried out as she attempted to interface with the console.

"Ryder, I don't think that's a good idea" Drack warned.

The pain was almost blinding like a a sharp bolt of lightning through her mind. _This must be what interfacing with the Remnant without SAM is like._ Her eyes watered but it didn't stop her from trying again. "The door is Remnant, you need SAM!" Peebee warned.

 _I can, I must and I fucking will._ Ryder didn't acknowledge either of them. Her only answer was another cry of pain that sent her to her knees. _We need to get back to the Tempest._ She was tempted, so bloody tempted to just lie down and rest. Just a short rest but instead she pulled herself upright again even as a sharp pain lanced down from her head and through her spine. That last attempt had made the door moved a little. _Success… Somewhat._ "Goddess, you are doing it!" Peebee exclaimed.

The door closed as quickly as it began opening. The pain was just too much too soon. Her knees buckled and it was all Ryder could do to not sprawl back onto the cold hard floor. Her eyes squeezed shut in a bid to compartmentalise the pain, to push past it and get the job done.

"Ryder, it's causing you too much pain!"

 _Got to get back to the Tempest!_ Ryder struggled to her feet once more, sapping what meagre reserves she had left. Her hand trembled as it hovered over the console as she steeled herself for the white hot rod searing through every fibre of her being. The door moved slowly. _It's taking too fucking damn long!_

"Ryder! Don't, we will find another way!"

The pain bleached her vision white and she didn't even realise when she fall to my knees once more. _We need to get back!_ The door slammed close again. _No, no, no…_ Her body protested loudly and painfully as she picked herself up. Her hands clinging onto the console for dear life. She knew there was no way she's getting up again if she fell again. Her breaths came quick and heavy. There just didn't seem to be enough oxygen. The darkness at the edge of her vision snarled at her. Ryder shook her head to clear it.

There was only one way to get the door open and by all she held dear she would do it. The shouts of both Peebee and Drack had literally fell on deaf ears as the world narrowed to just her and the console. Her throat was dry and raw. It was not adequate to give voice to the torment surging through her body and nerves. The door finally slide open and stayed open.

Another sharp jolt flared across her chest but she managed to keep on her feet. Ryder staggered towards the door as Peebee came over to help her while Drack had his shotgun out, taking point. She shook her head at Peebee. Her voice ragged, "Watch our six."

Peebee looked at Ryder. Ryder was obviously tired and worn out in more ways than physical but her eyes were still clear with purpose and determination. Peebee knew she was on her last legs but Peebee couldn't help but feel secure in the knowledge that Ryder would see them through this. Peebee couldn't really explain why she felt this way. It was as if Ryder projected her confidence as a shield around her and her crew regardless how battered she was. Peebee nodded without hesitation, accepting Ryder's command.

"I'll make it," Ryder croaked, answering the silent question in Peebee's eyes. "I always do."

Ryder couldn't spare any attention to Peebee. It took all her focus and strength to keep herself on her feet and shambling towards the Tempest. Peebee pulled her pistol from her holster and fell in behind Ryder. She tapped at her omni tool as they headed out, "Tempest, Ryder is up. Lexi, bring your med kit. She is hurt."

With every other breath, a sharp jolt threatened to rip her apart from the inside. Ryder's head swam almost dangerously so. Her movements felt slow and clumsy as if she were moving through jelly. Finally Ryder saw the Tempest past the last set of doors. Grateful for the end in sight, she stumbled through following Drack. Lexi, with her med kit in hand, was rushing over with Jaal hot on her heels. Ryder planted a shaky smile on her face with an energy she didn't feel to reassure them. It was fooling nobody. Jaal pulled her arm over his shoulder, concern and the edges of panic clear on his face. "I'm fine," Ryder said. "I'm fine, just a little tired."

"Liar," Jaal retorted, his heart wasn't really into it.

"Ryder, your heart rate is erratic, you have a broken rib and you can barely stand. You are most definitely not fine," Lexi said as she waved the omni tool over her, scanning her vitals. "But your implant is working to keep everything within acceptable range. What happened?"

Ryder leaned into Jaal, grateful to have someone more competent to keep her on her feet. Words failed her as she tried to dredge up something useful to say. She glanced at the rest of the ground squad. Their words still sounded so far away but it was obvious that they were bickering. _Why are we not leaving? The Hyperion and SAM went dark. We can't just stand around._ Her mind was foggy as she retrieved her arm from Jaal. There was a strange buzzing going on in her head. _Scott, oh fucking hell. Scott needs my help too. We can't fight the Archon like this_ She turned and saw another console. _Maybe we are out gunned but there is always a way. Always_

Ryder shook her head trying to clear the fog but it stubbornly clung on. She shuffled over to the console and rested her weight on her arms against the console as she tried to catch her breath. Her knuckles whitening as she hung on. Jaal frowned, unsure what to make of Ryder's odd behaviour. "Ry-," he called out.

Before he could finish, Ryder pressed both hands onto the panel. _Come on, we need to get a move on._ A bright pain seared within her brain, travelling down her spine and spreading to the rest of her very being. It's like her soul being burnt from her but her nerves were too fried to register. An uncontrollable shiver shook her body but Ryder's grip on the console kept her upright and vertical. As if in response a tremor ran through the entire Remnant city. In the distance, Ryder heard a deep groan as swarms of Remnant flyers took flight. The team's squabbles were forgotten as their eyes widened at the sight of the Remnant fleet taking off.

"Ryder, you did an impossible thing," Vetra whispered with awe.

Another jolt kicked against her chest and the pain came flooding back into focus. Ryder's mouth opened to call Jaal but she couldn't find the words. _Who is that screaming?_ Her throat felt torn. _Oh… It's me._ The shiver had turned into a full scale tremor. Her nose felt wet. Ryder lifted a hand to wipe at it. She was surprised when her hand came away red. Then, without warning everything went black as if she was a light switch turned off. Her head slammed into the floor again.

 _No!_ Jaal saw her eyes rolling to her head. _That's not good._ "Lexi, what's going on?" he asked frantically, picking up the unconscious Pathfinder.

"Let's get her to the med bay," Cora said.

"Her connection to SAM was severed while she was in the Remnant City," Lexi explained. "It must have wrecked havoc to her body since SAM and Ryder were so intertwined. Pick up the pace, Ryder needs to be in my med bay now!"

Ryder's limp body sagged between Liam and Jaal. One on each side their necks under the crook of her arms. "Hell Ryder, stop scaring us like this!" Liam said.

"This is not the time for snark!" Cora shouted, her own patience and nerves frayed.

Thankfully, Liam kept his mouth shut. "I'll need Peebee and Vetra with me." Lexi turned to Cora, "You're in command now."

Cora nodded, suppressing a shudder running up her spine. This wasn't how she envisioned leading her own team. _Ryder, come back to us._ She headed to the bridge to give Kallo his order.

Lexi sat down heavily at the galley, finally having sometime to take a break herself. A mug of steaming coffee slid over the table towards her. "Thank you," she whispered into the cup as she took a sip.

"How is she?" Vetra asked, holding a mug of her own, leaning her hip against the counter. The door slid open as Cora entered, looking for a mug of brown power juice of her own.

"She is sleeping now. Jaal is in there with her," she said, sighing contently, drinking deep. "Her heart stopped again when her connection to SAM was terminated. According to her suit's on board computer, it was more than 10 minutes this time."

Lexi shook her head and continued, "Her nervous system was overloaded when she interfaced with Remnant tech without SAM. She has one broken rib from the chest compressions and to top it all off, her implant was barely able to keep her heart from going tachycardic."

Vetra sighed, her mandibles tight against her face, hers not one of content but of worry and fear. "She shouldn't even be alive after all she had gone through."

"Goddess knows it feels like she doesn't care for her own well being sometimes," Lexi said, rubbing her palms over her face.

Cora turned to the pair with a mug of her own and said, "It isn't that she doesn't care about herself. She cares for others way more than she does about herself."

"Yeah," Vetra nodded. "She has been going non-stop since she was the Pathfinder."

"But she is the Pathfinder, she has to put herself first otherwise there is no helping anyone else," Lexi protested.

"That's what makes her special." Cora said, sipping from her mug of coffee. "That's what makes her, Ryder. She can never say no to someone in need."

Lexi laughed ruefully. "Yeah, Our Pathfinder is special like that."

Vetra cocked her head and turned to Cora. "So we are headed to Meridian?"

"The Kett took down the comms and took the Hyperion, we have to go." Cora replied in frustration. "If we don't, that's the majority of the human race exalted, all those that are still in cryo. Then, the Archon will come for the rest of us."

Vetra's mandibles flared at the mention of the Archon. "600 years of travel just to meet this asshole."

Cora snorted, a sound that spoke of dark humour and disgust in equal measure. "Asshole or not, we will finish this one way or another at Meridian."

"So it's just us against the Archon?" Lexi asked, a tiny treble of apprehension in her voice.

"No," Cora said, shutting down that line of thought. "Ryder has done good work for Heleus and it's time to call in the favours."

Jaal jerked awake when he hear Ryder's groans. "Sara, darling one," he called.

Ryder peered around with half lidded eyes before squeezing them shut. "Lights," she muttered. "Too bright."

He tapped his omni tool and dimmed the lights. Shadows instantly grew as the room darkened. For a second, the darkness looked like a shroud over Ryder. "Better?"

Ryder nodded and instantly regretted it. Her head was pounding. It felt like a vice was clamped tight and the two ends were hell bent on meeting in the middle of her head. The electrodes on her temples itched. She tried to take a deep breath to clear her head but her ribs revolted. Ryder reverted to shallow breaths. "Take deep breaths, Sara," Jaal instructed, remembering Lexi's instructions.

"Can't," Ryder huffed. "Hurts."

"Shall I call, Lexi?"

Ryder didn't think her head was able to handle a full conversation with Lexi at the moment. She reached her hand out towards Jaal's. He took her smaller one in his larger purple blue ones. _His touch was warm._ Ryder squeezed his hand and sent a small biotic charge over his palm when their skin touched. _Stay._

The beeping heart rate monitor sounded almost familiar, like a lullaby. _It's most defintely not good to be so utter at home here._ She stiffened and squeezed his hand as a wave of pain washed over her. _The painkillers must be wearing off._ She felt Jaal's stiffer than human lips pressed on her forehead. Ryder relaxed under the contact. "You scared me, Sara," his voice cracked at the end.

Ryder didn't respond, for a moment Jaal thought she might have fallen back asleep but her hand tight against told him that wasn't the case. He brushed her brown hair away from her face in a bid to soothe her. "Don't leave me behind again," he insisted. "Never again."

 _Sorry…_ The biotic current tingled along his hand.


	6. Flight to Meridian

**Chapter 6 - Flight to Meridian**

Lexi hurried back to the med bay when her omni tool beeped. There was a spike in Ryder's vitals. "I got to go, Ryder's awake," she said rising from the chair.

She found Ryder pulling the leads that were monitoring her brain waves off her temple. There was much grunting as she attempted to sit up. Lexi started to open her mouth to voice her concerns but she decided against it. _It's just useless to tell Ryder to sit the coming engagement out._ Instead Lexi turned to her medical supplies and filled a syringe. Ryder eyed the needle with suspicion. "Painkillers," she explained.

Ryder offered her left arm to Lexi. With a quick stab and plunge of the syringe, Lexi could see Ryder relaxing. _She is just a bundle of raw nerves and pain. I can't imagine how she actually interfaced with the Remnant tech without SAM._

"Ahhh…,"Ryder flashed her a quick smile. "That's the good stuff."

Jaal hovered over Ryder's shoulder. There were obvious questions that he wanted to ask but he kept his mouth shut. Lexi thought it was best to get them out of the way. "You know I'd recommend you days if not weeks of bed rest," she started.

Ryder's face scrunched at her words. "But I won't."

"Put it simply, your brain is having a hard time interfacing with the Remnant. It's not made to do that. Without SAM to be a pain buffer, so to speak, you will experience pain every time you do so. I don't even know if you're suffering from brain damage by doing so," she continued. "We just don't have the equipment for it."

Jaal's eyes widened in distress. His hand landed on Ryder's shoulder protectively. Ryder absently reached over, placing her hand over his and ran her thumb over his knuckles. Lexi saw a faint blue glow of a biotic charge over her thumb. "What about painkillers?" Ryder asked.

"Those are only for your physical pain. Your broken rib, your headache and the soreness in your chest. That's it." Lexi explained. "Remnant tech is something else. There are no pain receptors in the brain, you shouldn't even be able to feel pain but you do. There is no painkiller for the brain."

Ryder frowned before she squared her shoulder. Lexi saw the Pathfinder taking over. "And the painkillers don't last long because your biotic metabolism burns through them fast. It's not safe to take too much too soon."

"What about stims?" Ryder suggested.

Lexi leaned against the counter behind her. "It will only heighten your reaction time. You can move faster, react fast, basically increased combat effectiveness. It does dull the pain receptors but the same logic applies they are not made for the brain. The brain has never needed it."

Ryder huffed a breath and shook her head. "Increased combat effectiveness, I'll take it, given what's ahead."

"Given your physical condition as your doctor I'll have to advise against it," Lexi said at the same time handing Ryder two epipen injectors. "One of each."

Ryder moved to take them but Lexi held on to them. "Ryder, don't use them if you can possibly help it. The come down will hurt you more than what just you went through."

Ryder's eyes met hers. Lexi could only see the determination, the drive and the need to see their mission through. "We need every advantage we can get."

Ryder left the med bay. Her body was no longer fighting her every step of the way. _The painkillers are magic!_ Though she knew she could use with a proper sleep. _It seems falling unconscious doesn't count as sleep._ Her omni tool beeped, informing her of an incoming connection. It was Cora. She turned to Jaal, "You got your own prep to do."

Jaal nodded. "I see you later?"

His bio-electricty was tentative. Ryder smiled, the mask of the Pathfinder lifted for just a moment. "Sure."

Then it slammed down again as she tapped to accept the connection. "We need to talk," Cora said without a greeting. "Meet me at the bridge?"

Ryder arrived to find the bridge empty, save for Cora. Silently she thanked Cora for getting Kallo and Suvi to take a break. "I saw what happened out there," Cora said staring out at the dark space.

"Using Remnant without SAM hurts you," she continued, turning to face Ryder. "A lot."

"Believe me, I know," Ryder drawled wryly. "But I survived and we have a shot to bring down the Archon once and for all."

"Everything or nothing," Cora sighed. "We keep making that deal."

"I'm greedy like that."

Cora rolled her eyes. "Maybe you can raise a fleet, maybe you can make explorers into soldiers." Cora ducked her head, breaking their eye contact. "But I know one thing, we can't bury another Pathfinder."

"Don't worry, Cora. You'll make a fine Pathfinder." Ryder joked, laughing a little.

"That's not funny, Ryder."

The laughter died a quick death in her throat. Ryder took a deep breath. "I hope you don't have to," she replied, seriously this time. "I can't promise anything but I'll do my best."

Cora nodded, clapping a hand on her shoulder. Kallo's voice piped up via their omni tools. "We will be leaving FTL in 30 minutes we should have visual contact of the Kett forces then."

"Acknowledged, Kallo. Good work," Ryder said turning to Cora. "Time for a speech?"

"Why not?" Cora grinned.

Ryder stared at her own reflection in the mirror. Dark rings around her bloodshot eyes and her skin far paler than it had ever been. _I couldn't look more like a phantom if I've tried._ She shook her head. _Nothing a couple weeks of sleep can't cure._ Tugging at her hair tie, her brown almost black hair came loose. She sighed. Ryder wasn't a vain woman but she have always loved her hair, almost proud of it. It had always been long and lustrous. The fine and smooth locks were mostly straight till it reached her shoulders where it curled slightly. Now it looked dull and brittle, in obvious need of much shampoo and conditioner. Ryder exhaled through her mouth in a huff. _Apparently worrying about my hair is more important than the Archon._

She turned the tap and dunked her head under it. Cold water rolled over her face as it washed away her tiredness and doubts. Turning off the tap she grabbed her towel and wiped her face. Finally she pulled her hair back into a pony tail. Ryder stared at her reflection as she rolled her shoulders, trying to shift the burdens of command into a more comfortable position but there was none to be found. _Lives hanging in the balance again this time with Scott caught in the cross fire. Fuck!_

Kallo's voice broke through her brooding. "Ryder, dropping out of FTL in 5 minutes."

 _Go time._

A wave of déjà vu swept over her when she entered the cargo bay. The ground squad were prepping for the fight to come. Jaal was helping her with her hard shell - again. _Didn't we just did all this less than a standard day ago?_ A flash of memory of their little trip to the Remnant City made her sway a little. _Disastrous? Not quite but very unpleasant to say the least._ The last buckle was snapped into place. She smiled a little as she remembered what happened the last time. "No goodbye kiss this time, Jaal." she whispered into his ear.

He stiffened. "I'm keeping them for our victory dance later," she continued.

Jaal flashed her a feral smile with his teeth on display. "I'll hold you to that. Killing Kett is what I do best after all."

Ryder was glad he got out of the funk that he had around him since Kadara. Patting his arm lightly, she moved towards the middle of the cargo bay and climbed up on the crates stacked there. It didn't take long before silence fell.

"Every one of you have people you care about in Heleus." she started, shakily. _That's more or less true right? Damn, I have no idea where the hell I'm going with this. A speech only works if I have to give it only once. This is the second time in 2 days!_

She could see nods among the ground squad and the crew. Cora gave her a single raised eyebrow. _I hope there is more there. I think that's what Cora's eyebrow said._

 _Yes of course there is more. Uhh… Yeah, more._ Ryder refrained from rolling her eyes at Cora. _This is harder than fighting the Kett._ "They will be joining the fight with us." she continued before hastily adding. "Not to throw them at the Archon, we got the Remnant for that."

She swallowed and cleared her throat before continuing, "We're fighting for the lives we've built. That only matters if there is someone left to live them."

Her audience didn't quite cheered but there were resolve in their stance and a fire in their eyes. _That works for me._ Ryder grinned and hopped off the crate. "It could still use a little work," Liam started.

"Everyone's a critic." Ryder punched him in the arm and he winced in mock pain. "Next time, I'll leave the speech making to you."

She made her way to the bridge knowing they would be making visual contact with the Kett forces soon. "Great speech," Kallo said as she entered.

"Thanks Kallo."

"Very inspiring," Suvi quipped.

"Are you guys teasing me?"

"Never would dream of it, Ryder," Kallo replied with a straight face.

Ryder turned her attention to the view before her. Looking at the black of dark space, Ryder couldn't help but shudder. It couldn't help but remind her of the time SAM stopped her heart. _Fuck…_ The pitch black space before her dropped out and was replaced with thousands of tiny white dots.

"Ryder, there is an incoming transmission from the Hyperion."

She rolled her shoulders back and stood ramrod straight, the Pathfinder taking over. "Put it through," her voice hard and sharp.

A familiar face appeared on her screen. Ryder's hands tightened on the rail in front of her. Her flinty eyes seemed to darken as she met his. "You continue to defy your limitations. Impressive."

"I live but to impress." she couldn't help but to snark at the hateful creature before turning her eyes to Scott. "Scott, are you ok?"

"He is a total loon this guy, he wants to us to choose between exaltation and death!" Scott said, equal measures of fear and snarkiness in his words. "What is the difference?"

Ryder managed to keep a snort of laughter from erupting. _Trust Scott to be a wise ass in a hostage situation._ "You say that like I should feel guilty. I am giving you a gift!" the Archon said, turning to face Scott. "Those who can't see that deserves to die."

"You still command the Remnant but that began with the implant and SAM. Now I have both!" the Archon continued, eyeing Ryder. "I no longer need you Pathfinder but since you insist on interfering I'll give you my full attention."

With that, the comm link was broken. Ryder wished she could have simply reach through the comm channel and throttle the asshole. It seemed bad guys everywhere watched the same movies. Kallo's voice broke her internal musings. "Kett fighters incoming!"

 _Shit_ Ryder hoped that the Remnant fleet would defend them. _Why didn't they equip a canon or something on the Tempest. We're a sitting duck out here._ She had no idea how and what she had done back at the Remnant City but she could only pray it was enough.

"The Remnant fleet is engaging the Kett!" Suvi reported triumphantly.

The three watched as a massive dog fight played out before their eyes. It was akin to a high budget light show but silent. Energy beams flashed while fighters zoomed and zigzagged across space. "That's more than we thought," Suvi said, apprehension creeping in.

"No, we got this," Ryder replied hoping her confidence wasn't a false one.

The Tempest was rocked by the multiple concussion as the fighters exploded in flames. _Too close!_ "More fighters incoming!"

 _Damn!_ Ryder eyed the battle field before her. Her father's voice rang in her head unbidden.

" **When your back is against the wall, use it."**

"Kallo, how close can you skirt the scourge?"

"Too close?"

"Take us in as close as you can."

Without hesitation or even a question about her sanity, he took firm controls of the Tempest and put her plan into action. "Hang on!" he yelled.

The Tempest glided as graceful as a bird in flight, skimming the waves of the scourge. "Kallo, you are a master!"

His delight clear as he laughed, "Never thought I'll ever like the scourge."

Ryder could see Meridian just ahead and a gaping hole began to emerge. "Take us in!"

She rushed over to the cargo bay. "Jaal, Vetra with me" she ordered. "Cora, you have command of the second team."

"Got it, Ryder," she said. "Give the Archon hell!"

"Hot drop in 5." Gill announced.

Ryder buckled herself into the nomad.

"4."

She turned around to check Jaal and Vetra.

"3."

Vetra gave her a thumb's up as much as her 3 fingered hand could manage.

"2."

Jaal reached out and gave her a small charge of bio-electricty. It spoke much of trust and confidence though tinged with worry.

"1."

Ryder pulled her helmet on and with her gloved hands gripped the steering wheel.

Chasing the Archon's shuttle turned out to be a bumpy one but one that made her heart soar. Ryder saw the allies she had cultivated since being Pathfinder joining the fight. "How?" she asked.

"Cora called in all favours while you were out," Vetra informed as she hung on to dear life. "So if you need any new favours you are all out of luck."

Ryder laughed, flashing her teeth in a wolfish grin. Raeka's voice came over the comms. "Take the fight to the Archon. We will defend the Hyperion."

"Understood, Pathfinder." She turned to Vetra and Jaal, "Let's go."

Ryder launched herself into the air with a biotic jump and she Charged over to a Chosen, slamming her asari blade into its throat. The Chosen died drowning in its own blood. "Clear!" she shouted.

Vetra and Jaal emerged from behind cover. Ryder heading down the hall confident the others would keep up. Frustration and urgency was clear in the brutal pace she set. _Activate this here, get a bridge there. Shoot some Kett. Rinse and repeat. Where the fuck is the Archon?_ The pain that came from interfacing with Remnant tech was more manageable somehow. It wasn't as incapacitating as before. Maybe she was in a battle high or it was purely mind over matter, she didn't know, she didn't care. As long as she could get to the Archon quickly, she didn't want to know how she was getting it done.

She had ditched her helmet 4 rooms ago after the face plate shattered under an Anointed's hail of bullets. Ryder was lucky she didn't take one in the face thanks to Vetra's reflexes. Ryder wiped a hand across her nose after activating yet another bridge.

Red. Blood.

Her nose felt clogged and it was really hard to breath past the clotted blood. _If only I was bleeding out my ears instead, that's will be way more convenient. No… blood from the nose, how fucking irritating._ She slammed a fresh clip into her Mattock, she took aim and unleashed a short burst at the nearest Kett. Vetra and Jaal's weapons joined hers in a strangely comforting harmony of death and blood of their foes. It didn't take long to clear the hallway.

Ryder headed straight for the door. A small stab of pain behind her eyes as she palmed the door open. They walked in cautiously then Suvi's voice broke the silence. "Ryder, multiple system failures on the Hyperion."

 _Shit._ "Dunn, Captain Dunn, is there anything we can do?"

"Stay out of our way," Dunn's response was clipped, made through clenched teeth. "There is no pulling up."

Ryder heard the Captain issuing orders to her bridge crew. It was obvious her priority were the sleepers. They were the future of humanity here on Heleus. Ryder clenched her fists, it was obvious to her that Dunn was ready to make the ultimate sacrifice. She slammed her fist down her thigh, she never liked being powerless but all any of them could do was to bear witness. Dunn's voice cut out and crackled. Then, it came through loud and clear one more time. "It has been an honour to…" she said before it was abruptly cut off.

 _Fuck._ She couldn't spare herself time to wonder at the Captain's fate. "Let's go." she order curtly. _I can feel later, if there is a later._

She didn't have enough time to react before the Fiend slammed into her. Her head bounced on the hard floor once, twice as she tumbled and slid across the floor before falling onto the lower level. Ryder was dizzy while her ears rang. Her ribs were also definitely not happy with the turn of events. "Ryder!" Jaal's voice came through the comm.

"Still here," she panted, shaking her head to clear it. "Still alive."

Ryder wished she had a moment to catch her breath but there wasn't such luxury. She heard the whine of a Destroyer's turrets powering up. _Damn!_ She rolled to her feet and raced towards the nearest cover. The first hit was absorbed by her shields, the second took it down and the third slammed into her side as she dived behind the low wall. Pain blinded her as she curled under the cover hoping to present a smaller target. It didn't take long before her on board computer injected the last of her medi gel. It barely put a dent in the pain.

She held herself still while her shields recharged. Once her shields were up, Ryder peeked from over her cover. There was a deep groan and rumble as she saw the Fiend slumping to the ground after Jaal unloaded a bunch of sticky grenades on it. _One down, one to go._ Ryder skirted the edges of the room as she flanked the Destroyer. She activated the mic on her suit. "Jaal," she said. "Combo to take the shields down. Vetra, follow up after."

Jaal's eyes met hers and he nodded. She signalled to him using hand signals.

 **3** Ryder primed a Singularity in her right hand

 **2** Her left hand wrapped around her pistol loaded with Disruptor ammo.

 **1** She flung the Singularity directly into the Destroyer while she unloaded her pistol.

The Destroyer twisted to focus on Ryder. She ducked behind cover as Jaal unleashed an Overload. The resulting explosion took its shields down in one fell swoop. Vetra took the chance to pump it full of bullets. Within a minute, the Destroyer was just a smouldering mess on the floor. "Clear," Vetra announced.

Ryder holstered her pistol and headed to the gravity well controls. "You're bleeding," Jaal said as he approached.

She looked at where Jaal was pointed. She realised there was a long crack down the side of her hard shell where she took the hit. "Ahh, damn. I didn't realise it."

Blood was oozing from it and pain started registering. "Here," Vetra said offering Ryder a medi gel pack.

"No," Ryder shook her head. "You should keep it. We don't know what we might face later."

"Ryder," Jaal began disapprovingly. "You need help, take it when it's offered."

Her mouth twisted though she heard the truth but as she was about to protest out of habit, Vetra interrupted. "If you are down, who is going to interface with the Remnant."

 _Now, that's a logic I can't fight._ "Fine," she growled, anxious to move on.

The on board computer registered the new pack and promptly injected it into her system. Her side felt numb but her head still throbbed. "Sorry, I was just being stubborn." Ryder conceded. "Come on, let's go."

She rolled her shoulders and steeled herself as she approached the gravity well. _One more, just one more. I hope…_ Ryder activated the gravity well and the floor opened up. She floated down, down, down all the while keeping the pain within herself. The torment of countless tiny needle stabs in her head that she couldn't escape from. She was panting from the effort by the time she reached the bottom.

"Look!" Jaal shouted as they ran down the long empty hallway. The door they were headed for closed just as they reached it. "Damn!" Vetra cursed. "Is it the Archon herding us?"

"Who else would it be?" Jaal replied, heading towards the nearest open door

"Maybe," Ryder mused. "Or maybe Scott found a way to help."

The entire place felt odd. It was too empty, too quiet. Then the Archon's voice burst through their omni tools. "Prepare for cortical stimulation."

"Does he know he is broadcasting?"

Before anyone could say anything, Scott's voice came through. "Get out of my head, you green lump of moss!"

Ryder ran, faster than she thought possible. All her pain and fatigue forgotten as Scott's screams filled her ears. "Scott!" she cried, "SAM, keep him safe!"

She knew SAM couldn't hear her pleas but she prayed she would reach them in time. Another set of doors, another long hallway and then yet another gravity well. _Where the bloody hell is the Archon!_ Ryder didn't wait for the others, she activated it. Her vision grew hazy as pain buzzed in her head. If Ryder wasn't in such agony she would have appreciated the view as she floated and was flung vertically through space. Her hair whipped about her face at the speed she was travelling in.

Instead of her usual graceful _stylish_ landing once the gravity exerted itself again, Ryder's legs buckled as she landed. She fell heavily to her knees. Glancing behind her, Jaal and Vetra were a little too far away to see her fall. _I hope. Who knows how far a turian or an angara can see?_ She grimaced as she picked herself off the floor albeit on slightly shaky knees. Ryder turned to face the long bridge stretching out in front before stealing another glance to see the progress Vetra and Jaal made across the open void. She pulled out the two epipens Lexi had given her earlier. _Fuck it._ Without giving it another thought, she plunged both into the side of her neck.


	7. Fight for the Future

**Chapter 7 - Fight for the Future**

Ryder took point, her Mattock raised and her senses heightened. Kett were travelling in parallel to them in the same direction. Vetra took potshots at them but they were just too far. They took it slow as they strode across the bridge.

A raised domed platform dominated the space. The Archon took to stage centre and his arms on his hips. Ryder aimed her rifle at him as a matter of principle, though he was out of range. Scott sat slumped in his chair, his face pale and sweaty. He was barely holding it together. Ryder's eyes blazed in fury. _How dare he touch my brother! The Archon will pay and he will pay through his fucking nose!_

"Pathfinder, your attempts to rival me is no longer amusing," the Archon hissed.

"Fuck you!" Ryder growled, her words echoed throughout the chamber.

"Hey Sara, got my clues?" Scott asked, panting slightly.

"You did good, Scott," Ryder said. "Hang in there, I'll get you out soon."

Vetra and Jaal flanked Ryder, their weapons raised. Ryder took strength from their presence. "The lumpy monkey face just likes to yak on and on, so easily distracted," Scott said, giving her a weak grin.

The Archon turned to face Scott. "So determined but so pointless. Your fates were inevitable. Struggle all you want, in the end you will fall to me."

With a flick of his hand, he activated the connection. Ryder's grip on her rifle tightened as Scott trembled under the pain. The Archon connected himself directly to the glowing hub above via thick steel corded wires. Scott whimpered as the Archon rose to the air, glowing with electrifying power. "Scott, hold on!" Ryder shouted as she watched the Archon rising out of her reach.

"No more mercy, kill them all!"

Remnant forces began to swarm their location.

"I'm out!" Vetra shouted.

Ryder fished a couple of spare thermal clips and slid them across the floor towards Vetra. _Damn, we need an ammo run pretty soon._ She popped from her cover and fired at the Destined before it could hide under smoke cover again. "Jaal, how's your ammo situation?" she asked through her mic.

"I'm down to my last one," his voice crackled through her omni tool.

Ryder spotted a crate of ammo just off to a distance. She glanced quickly to make sure the way was clear. Just as she was about to Charge over, she heard Scott's voice. "Shit, Sara he has access to Meridian!"

 _Fuck!_

"I see it now. The Remnant are the architects of life. Pathfinder, you command nothing!" the Archon proclaimed.

Ryder kept moving. She so wanted to hurl a retort but she had to keep her wits about her. She made it to the ammo cache and promptly empty it. The Archon arched his back as a burst of energy rolled across the chamber. Scott cried out as the chamber shook. From the depths below, a Remnant Architect rose like a ancient monster of the deep. The angry red eye stared at Ryder for a split second before a bolt of energy slammed into her. "Ryder!" Jaal shouted.

Ryder didn't cry out, her breath was caught in her throat. She just tumbled backwards with the impact. A loud crack echoed throughout the chamber as the platform they were on broke. All three slid downwards, stopping only at the foot of the domed platform. Jaal picked himself up and rushed over to Ryder's side. "I'm fine, I'm fine," Ryder said as she tried to get up.

"Ryder, you're not!" he shouted, anger clear in his voice. "Shut up and sit down."

Ryder complied when she realised she had trouble getting up. Jaal's hands worked fast while Vetra had her rifle at the ready, covering them. Her shield had managed to stop the brunt of the impact but her torso throbbed in time with her heart beat. Jaal slapped a medi gel pack into her suit and her suit took care of the rest. Her breathing even out as relief flooded her body. Before Jaal could speak, Scott's voice rang out.

"Sara, the Archon is pulling too much power," he said. "Shut down the interfaces and he will have nothing to draw on!"

Ryder got her feet under feet, patting Jaal's arm in apology. "Scott, get me targets. I know it hurts but you got to call them out!"

Scott nodded though he knew Ryder wouldn't be able to see. "SAM, I need a little help here," he said through gritted teeth.

"Scott, I've marked the nav point. Please inform the Pathfinder," SAM replied. "I can't split my processes if I maintain the pain buffer for you. The Archon is taking up too many processes."

"Thanks, SAM," Scott said. "We will keep the ruse going."

"Sara, nav point marked," he shouted.

Ryder was sure Jaal and Vetra were tired because she sure was. There's only so much stamina a person have especially in a drawn out fight. Not to mention, they had already fought their way to reach the core of Meridian. Ryder didn't know where the Archon were hiding his reinforcements. _Must have been up his slimy green ass or something._ He had an endless supply of Observers, Assemblers and Nullifiers _(and the kitchen sink)_ that continuously threatened to overwhelm them.

Ryder slumped against the cover, keeping near to the console to maintain the connection. _We can't keep this up, there is just too many._ Taking a deep breath, she inched to the edge to lob a couple of omni grenades at the Nullifier. Before following up with a hail of bullets from her Mattock. A familiar cry of pain split her attention. _Vetra!_ Without thinking, she Charged over to Vetra's position. Firing her rifle to keep the Observers from swarming her. Vetra hissed in pain as she pressed her hand over her arm. "How bad is it?" Ryder asked as she keep up her covering fire.

"It's not that bad, the laser burn a hole through my arm," Vetra said. "At least it isn't bleeding."

Ryder fished a medi gel pack and tossed it to Vetra. "I've picked up some extras," she said. "Give yourself an extra dose."

Wordlessly, Vetra took the medi gel and inserted to her hard shell. Ryder checked her omni tool, they were almost done with the console. "Shields down! Sara, hit that spiny worm with all you got!" Scott shouted.

"Got it, Scott!" Ryder said before turning to Vetra "You good?"

"Never better," Vetra grinning, her sharp teeth in full display.

"Don't do that again, Vetra. Your teeth scare me," Ryder laughed.

She Charged over to the Architect's exposed angry red eye, spraying her rifle across it indiscriminatingly. "Down!" Jaal's voice came through. She released her Charge and landed on her feet. Jaal flung a sticky grenade. Ryder took shelter behind a low wall as the blast rocked the Architect backwards.

"Sara, you got to say in range of the relay!" Scott shouted.

 _Damnit!_ Ryder moved quickly back to the console, allowing her shields to take the hits. She relied on the others to keep the Remnant off her back. _Come on! Can this go any faster?_ It was an endless pop and shoot, pop and launch a Singularity, rinse and repeat. Finally Scott announced the console was unlocked and ready for her. Ryder made her way over to the console and slammed her right hand down, while her left gripped her rifle, firing at anything that strayed too close. A wall of agony slammed into her head, bring her to her knees. _Oh my fucking gods!_ It was worse than she had ever experienced. _What made this one different? Was it channelling way more energy than the rest?_

Ryder shook her head to clear the fuzziness. "Scott, give me the next nav point!"

It didn't take long for the next to appear on her omni tool. "Jaal, Vetra," Ryder shouted. "Move out! We got two more consoles to hit."

Then, a shuttle flew into view. "Ryder! We're here!", Liam's voice burst through the comms.

"About time!" Vetra.

With Cora in point, her team leapt off the shuttle. Ryder tapped on her omni tool quickly, sending the nav point for the second console over to Cora. "Scott, give me the last one." Ryder said. "Cora, you take the second console, we'll do the third. Things will go faster now."

"Got it. Guys! Move out!" Cora ordered taking off to the second console.

A ping on her omni tool confirmed the location of the third console. "Let's go!"

"Exaltation is too good for you, I rescind the offer!" the Archon's words echoed through the chamber.

It wasn't the first time, the green asshole attempted to taunt them. Ryder was totally numb to his words by now and couldn't summon the energy to retort. Luckily, Peebee picked up the slack in that department. "Shove your offer where the sun don't shine!"

Ryder chuckled. Alternating between her biotics and guns, her team mowed down whole swathes of Observers. _Ha! Observe this!_ They took as much ground as they gave in the ebb and flow of battle. _One step forward, two steps back._ At the back of Ryder's mind, she was keeping tabs on Cora's team's progress. She knew they were almost to their assigned console.

"If you cannot be leashed, I'll burn it all around you."

"Look around you, the Remnant are not flammable!" Liam yelled.

Ryder could hear Vetra's and Peebee's choked laughter via the comms. "Focus people," she said though she was secretly trying not to roll on the floor laughing.

The cacophony of bullets, explosions and biotics blasts filled the air. It was strangely comforting to Ryder. Her team, her crew, the bunch of people that saw her through thick and thin were all now fighting for a chance for everyone to live. _I'll never be able to do it on my own._

"There is no world to hide you, no escape!"

"Yak, yak, yak," Drack said deadpan. "Is that all you can do?"

 _Even Drack is getting in on the fun._ The Archon's voice grated on her ears. She took it out on the Nullifier that was in her way. Charging across the path she slammed into it's shield. Her arm extended with the asari blade in hand and it pierced the eye through the small window in the shields. She jumped backwards to give herself space to manoeuvre, all the while pumping shot after shot when its shield came down.

"Every outpost, every colonist, every world you set foot!"

"Oh for crying out loud!" Vetra groaned. "Is he a sore loser or what?"

The battle over on Cora's side began in earnest. The blue glow of biotics flashed in the corner of Ryder's eye. She wasn't worried. All things considered, Cora was the more experienced fighter, she had more leadership experience and was obviously more suited to the role of Pathfinder than she ever was. Ryder still didn't understand or agree to her father's decision to pass the role onto her. _Nepotism is probably the the kindest word I will hear on this subject._

"Your Initiative will be ash and it will be your fault!"

"Who is the one turning into ashes here?" Cora screamed her contempt. "By the goddess, it will be you!"

The team took cover behind the pillar. Waiting while Scott raised the platform so that they could cross. Scott's pained whimpers coming through clearly over the comms. Her heart squeezed in fear for her brother's life. She was the only other person who knew the pain Scott was going through. _Come on! Come on!_

"You made this necessary. Your defiance earned this!"

"You forced this upon us!" Jaal roared. "We will stay strong and clear in spite of you and the Kett!"

The corners of Ryder's mouth lifted. She didn't really see Jaal as the type to participate in taking the piss out of the Archon. She flashed him a grin in approval. However, it sounded like the Archon was talking for the sake of talking. He wasn't responding to anything they say. _Maybe we broke the Archon?_

"Your people will beg and there would be no mercy."

"Please have some fucking mercy on my ears," Ryder pleaded. "Just fucking shut up!"

Ryder could see the console just past the Remnant horde in their way. _Now to just actually get there._

Her reaction time were slowing, her arms were lead bars. The headache that was just throbbing before was now a jack hammer drilling her brain. _How much longer?_ They had reached their console. Time in the battlefield had always moved fast but here it was agonisingly slow. Cora's team was also pinned down even. They were waiting for her to get over to interface with their console. _Fuck, I shouldn't have split the team._

She checked her omni tool again after Pulling an Assembler into the air. Jaal's rifle barked and the Assembler went dark. The progress bar hardly moved since the last time she checked. Maybe that's because she just checked last than a minute ago. She growled in frustration and channeled it all into her biotics.

She sent duelling Push and Pull at a hovering Observer above Vetra's position. The resulting reaction practically ripped the Observer into dust. "What the hell, Ryder?" Vetra shouted as she brushed fine Remnant particles from her armour. "What did you just do?"

"I've no idea," she replied sheepishly. "Something I just invented?"

"As long as it works, I don't care."

Ryder grinned. The three of them worked well as a team. Moving in and out of cover to clear the field all the while keeping each other in view. Ryder could see why her father had favoured the 3 person team configuration and then drilled it into both hers and Scott's head.

Her father, the famous N7 solider of the Alliance, while she was only a lowly corporal when she was discharged to join the Initiative. If she had stayed would she had made N7 too? There was no way to know, not 600 light years later anyway. She was doing well in the Alliance, not exactly acing her classes but definitely competent. She was very much an average student but she had always did well in the field. Then, it all went sideways. _Thanks Dad._

She shook her head. _This is no time to think about what could have been._ Ryder Charged at the Nullifier, her rifle jerking in her arms as bullets flew. She twisted in midair to avoid an Observer's beam. It was too close to avoid but her shield held up. She landed on her feet when her omni tool beeped. _Finally!_ The console was ready for her.

Jaal watched Ryder did her acrobatic dance of destruction. She was a graceful dancer wielding both the deadly blue glow of biotics and staccato of cold bullets with ease. Jaal knew he was more than an adequate fighter. His years in the Resistance had ensured that. _You don't survive long if you are not good enough._ Ryder made him feel clumsy when he watched her in action.

She darted nimbly over to the console, pressing her palm down on it. Her grunts of pain came clearly through the comms. _Darling, stay strong._ He wrenched his eyes from her and kept up a steady fire at the Nullifier. The least he could do was to keep the Remnant off her. It wasn't long before her command came. "We're done here. Move out!" she ordered. "We're heading to Cora's team."

Jaal's feet moved quickly taking point anticipating Ryder's need to co-ordinate with Cora. The Remnant just kept coming. Ryder joined him at his side once her orders were given. He took comfort at her presence. "Here," Ryder said as she handed him a couple of thermal clips. "I've picked them up earlier."

Jaal reloaded his rifle and kept the spares. "We're almost there, almost done." Ryder said, encouragingly.

He grinned at her. He had never felt more alive. Jaal never thought when he boarded the Tempest he would be part of the vanguard to take down the enemy of his people. He had never expected to like the strange alien Pathfinder but here he was. Shoulder to shoulder with her and never prouder. "Yes," he agreed.

His eyes couldn't help but be snagged by her hard shell. It was dented and cracked in multiple places. Her helmet gone and her hair in a limp pony tail. Perspiration rolling down her jaw, down the hollow of her throat. She caught him looking and she arched an eyebrow at him. "See something you like?" she asked.

Jaal didn't trust this mouth to not say something stupid so instead he smiled. The private moment was interrupted by Vetra's rifle barking. "People, can you make eyes at each other later?" Vetra asked exasperatedly.

Ryder reached out to him and sent a small tingle up his arm. _Later._

 _Ancestors! The things this woman can do to him._ Even in situations as dire as theirs, he would always feel hopeful of their circumstance if she was there with him. He shifted his attention back to the battle field and allowed his training to take over.

"You earned this! Every life lost is on you!" the Archon's voice boomed.

Scott's cries served as a counterpoint to the roar of the battle. "Hurry, Sara!"

"You think you are special? We have exalted countless species!"

It was chaos. Remnant were closing in from all sides. Ryder Charged to avoid an Observer's laser only to blunder into the red energy field of the Architect. Pain wracked her body as she scrambled to get clear. Joining up with Cora had only made things marginally better. However, even with more firepower, they were barely able to keep the Remnant from overwhelming them. There was only so many thermal clips and power cells to go around.

Ryder began to rely heavily on her biotics, leaving ammo for those who would need it more. Adrenaline flooded her veins and her heart pounded as it tried to keep up with her. _Come on, faster!_ The progress bar was hardly moving, it was far too slow. She backed against the side of the trench. She could make out the angry red eye of the Architect following her. It loomed over the entire team. There was no way they could clear the smaller Remnant while that thing thwarted them at every turn. Hastily, she checked her Disciple. _24 rounds. Time to make them count._

Her amp burnt hot as her biotics flared her. She tapped the mic on her hard shell. "Charging in 3, follow up at will."

At the count of three, she Charged towards the Architect. Her arm extended with the blade outstretched. She felt the sharp asari blade embed itself into the Architect before it snapped. Activating her jump jets, she pushed herself away while pumping round after round into the red pool of malevolence. As she cleared the field of fire, landing heavily on her knees, the team unloaded everything they had.

The Architect screeched as it rocked backwards in pain. _Can it even feel?_ It would take time for it to recover, this would be the time to clear the remaining Remnant off their platform. Ryder thrusted herself back behind cover with the help of her jump jets. She would have preferred to stick to her biotic jumps but her amp was burning too hot, it was shooting pain up her neck and down her spine. Her Remnant interfacing induced headache was fast turning into the thumping dance floor of Vortex.

"Got it exposed! Lock it down! Interface now," Scott's voice came through her omni tool.

 _Fucking finally._ Ryder rushed over to the console and slammed her palms down. "Is that it?" she asked through clenched teeth. "Scott!"

"Just one more, just one," Scott shouted. "Hurry!"

Ryder glanced at the new nav point on her omni tool. _That's not too far._ "Cover me!" she screamed as she dashed out.

50 metres.

She trusted her team to keep the Remnant off her back and her shields would cover the rest. She ducked under the lasers of a group of Observers. They exploded under the combined biotic and tech attacks while above her head. The noise deafened Ryder turning the world into a high pitched whine.

40 metres.

Ryder Charged past a pair of Assemblers. She saw them tracking her movements out of the corner of her eye. They jumped backwards trying to keep ahead of her. There was a white flash and a shot clipped her shoulder that sent her sprawling to the ground. Just as she was getting up, the Assemblers detonated in flames under a bunch of omni grenades.

30 metres.

Ryder employed her jump jets to navigate through the raised platforms over the endless void. _Don't look down. Don't look down!_

20 metres.

 _More Remnant, more everything. There is just no end to them!_

Ryder cleared the wall of Remnant before her with a combination of jump jets and good old fashioned leg power. Her breaths were coming fast and heavy. _No, no, no. Implant now is not the time for one of your jolts._

10 metres.

 _Almost, almost there!_ "This is not the end! I have the network," the Archon yelled.

"Not for fucking long!" Ryder cried defiantly.

0 metre.

She Charged to reach that console just that much quicker. Pushing her hands onto the interface, white energy crackled through her fingers as pain took over. _At least we can be sure of mutually assured destruction!_


	8. Aftermath

**Chapter 8 - Aftermath**

The Archon arched his back, trembling as the energy overloaded. His hands frantic as he pulled the connections off his back, falling towards sensible height all the while. His grunts of pain sounded like sweet melody to Ryder's ears. "Arghhhhh!"

She pressed her hands down harder hoping it would hasten the process, ignoring the waves of agony drowning her.

The domed platform buzzed with white energy, tendrils of energy was arcing all over. The chamber shuddered and rumbled as the platform shifted. Sparks fell as the energy engulfed the Architect. It gave a piercing screech before falling unceremoniously to the ground. Ryder released her hold on the console and collapsed to the floor. Her lungs working double time. Ryder pressed her ball of her hand into her eye, trying hard to hold herself together. She closed her eyes as she took shuddering breath after breath. Eventually, her breathing evened out. She picked herself up as the others caught up to her.

"Are you all right?" Cora asked, the first to reach her.

Ryder nodded. "I'm fine," she said, though her shaking hands betrayed her. "Just tired."

She turned her attention to the Archon who hung limply on the thick wires. The last one snapped and his body fell. There was a very audible smack as the Archon landed. "Finally!" Ryder said. "I did want him to shut up so badly."

The team sniggered and laughed. Then, SAM voice came through her omni tool. "Pathfinder," it said. "Meridian is online."

Her heart lifted to hear SAM's voice again. "SAM," she said. "Are you all right?"

"I am well, Pathfinder." SAM said. "Were you concerned over my well being?"

"Of course." Ryder exclaimed, wondering how was she going to explain concern to it.

"You're… You're like a sibling to me, a twin even." she said, tapping her Pathfinder implant at the side of her head. "You live in my head, Scott doesn't."

"Technically I am in SAM node on the Hyperion."

Ryder laughed. "You get what I mean."

"Actually, Pathfinder I don't"

"I'll explain it to you another time."

The white energy subsided and the chamber came to live. Humming of machineries hidden filled the air. The energy spread through the central platform and travelled up along the sides and walls, lighting everything up as it went.

"You asshole!" Ryder shouted when Scott told her the ruse SAM and Scott played on the Archon.

"You could have let me know!" she continued. "I was worried sick."

Scott laughing, dancing out of her fists aimed at him. "SAM was the one who suggested it. He told me that he has been as your buffer when you interface with the Remnant." Scott explained. "So if I acted like I was in pain, the Archon wouldn't actually draw too much and actually kill me."

Ryder frowned and narrowed her eyes at him. "I guess that makes sense."

They exited to the cheers of all the allies. She saw the Moshae, the Outcasts with Solane in the lead, Morda and the krogans of New Tuchanka, of course Rix, Theris and Raeka and their team. Many looked injured but all of them had smiles if not out right grins on their faces. Ryder looked at the renewed vigour that was in the eyes of the assembled. Lexi took a protesting Scott aside to scan him for wounds while Suvi came forward. "The word is out, everyone's elated but the Nexus wants to know what's next," she said.

 _Next? Oh my fucking god, I haven't had time for a shower and they want to know what's next?_ "What do I tell them?" Suvi prompted.

"Tell them, we're home," she said.

It was rather plain after what they had just gone through but it was from the heart and Ryder never felt the statement was more true that day. _Yeah it was simple maybe a little boring for the occasion but it's apt. We are actually at the first step. Everything else is for the future, at least now we have one._

A sharp pain lanced through her head as a wave of dizziness rocked her. The adrenaline that was buoying her upright was gone. Her muscles seized and she curled into herself. A groan escaped her lips. "Did she use the epipens I gave her?" Lexi's voice shrill in her ears.

Jaal looked at Vetra, both of them dumbfounded. Ryder could only nodded at Lexi's question. "No choice," she said through clenched jaw. "Had to."

"Goddess!" Lexi exclaimed in exasperation. "Get a gurney!"

Ryder writhed on the ground. The assembled moved quickly to give Lexi space to work with while others scrambled to get what Lexi asked for. She felt a sharp jab of a needle in her neck and a sharp cold sensation travelled down her body. "Painkillers but I don't think it will help much," Lexi explained. "You are coming down from the stims. I warned you about this."

Scott's voice loomed over her as she kept her eyes squeezed shut. "Sara, Sara," he called, fear obvious in his voice.

If she could, she would have punch him in the chest in a bid to soothe him. The pain had left her with no voice or control over her body. _Tit for tat. Turnabout is fair play._ Hands began to lift her onto a gurney and there was forward motion. "Get her to the Hyperion!"

Sweet, blissful darkness claimed her. For how long, she had no idea. She drifted in and out of consciousness as voices came in and out. Lexi's was a constant, while Scott's is another. Cora's voice came through to yelled at people to get out of the way. Ryder could feel Jaal's hand on her forehead. A small buzz of bio-electricty was the only comfort she could take their contact.

"…SAM node now… needs hard connection…"

Someone was pulling her hair back to access the port at the left side of her head. There was a sharp jab and a jolt pierced her mind. Ryder cried out. "Hold her down!"

Hands clamped down on her limbs as she struggled ineffectively against them. _Am I dying? Is this for real this time?_ As quickly as the jolt came, it faded. There was a pull and something warm trickled down the side of her head. SAM's voice came through her mind. "Pathfinder, you are in safe hands." SAM said.

"Get her to the medical wing, now!" Lexi instructed

Then darkness swept up and engulfed her whole.

Waking up seemed to be done in stages. It wasn't a single rush of light and into the world of living she came. It started with a vague sensation of light and sounds. Everything muffled and blurred. It was all too much to bear and she sank back into the quiet and comfort of the depths.

The next time she surfaced, there was less noise, less movement and it was darker, dim almost. Well, as much she could determined with closed eyes. There was the regular beeping of the heart rate monitor. She wanted to open her eyes but they were too gunked up. It too much effort to open them so she gave up.

The third time was somewhere in between the first two times. There was a familiar voice somewhere in the same room. Someone was also holding onto her hand. The small buzz of bio-electricty made the identity clear to her. Without opening her eyes, she squeezed his hand weakly. "Ryder?" Jaal asked.

She squeezed it a second time. "Scott, she's awake. Get Lexi!"

With just two squeezes, she ran out of energy and disappeared under the depths again.

It was quiet. The beeping the only sound in the room. She blinked, allowing her vision to clear. _Alive, still._ Her throat was parched. _Water._ She raised her arm to reach for a call button or something. A tugging stopped her. She looked at her arms, both were connected to IVs and bags of what she assumed was fluids and medicine. _No breathing mask that's a win._ Her body protested any movement she made. Lifting up the blanket that was covering her, she realised she was clad in a paper thin gown underneath. Her torso wrapping in bandages. Her arms and legs covered with yellowing bruises. _What's that?_ She saw a tube snaking out from between her legs. _Oh, this is embarrassing._

She turned and realised she had a view. The light was dim. It must be the night cycle here on the Hyperion. She took a deep breath savouring it. They had made it happen. A true beginning here in Heleus was now possible. _Dad, I did it._ Tears stung her eyes, thinking about her father. She blinked them away quickly. She lay on her bed, quiet with her thoughts. Then, a voice intruded into her mind. "Pathfinder," SAM said.

Ryder jumped and hissed in pain. "Don't do that," she scolded.

"Sorry," SAM apologised almost sounding contrite.

"Have you been working on your inflection?" she asked.

"I may have," SAM replied. "Since being disconnected from you, I've experienced many new things and strange emotions."

"Emotions?" Ryder asked.

"As close to emotions I can get. Yes."

"You mean through your experiences with Scott?"

"No. I mean because of my separation from you."

"Oh." Ryder said, pursuing her lips. "You're not about to confess your love to me right?"

"No, Pathfinder," SAM replied quickly. "Why would I do that?"

Ryder chuckled. "It's was a joke, SAM."

"I shall add that to my library of jokes," SAM replied. "I wanted to ask you to explain to me what you said previously."

"What did I say?" Ryder asked, resigning herself to have no relief to her parched throat. "By the way, how long have I been out?"

"It has been 14 days and 5 hours since you lost consciousness at SAM node."

"Oh. That long huh?" Ryder said, slightly taken aback that she had lost so much time. "What did I say?"

"You said you were worried for my well being and that I was like a twin to you."

"That," she said, realisation dawning upon her.

"Well you know Scott is my biological twin. We shared the same womb, born at the same time, more or less. You and me, we share my head. You are with me since Habitat 7." Her voice hitched at the last part, she paused to get her emotions in control. "We are like two halves of a whole. Though you are with everyone on the crew but only I get to talk to you like this, privately."

SAM didn't answer immediately. The silence dragged between them. _Did I just break SAM?_ "Pathfinder," SAM began.

"Ryder, or Sara if Scott's around," Ryder said. "If you are going to be my twin, you should stop calling me Pathfinder. It's a little impersonal, don't you think?"

"Yes, I agree," SAM said. "Ryder."

She smiled. "Ryder," SAM said again as if feeling how the word felt in his virtual mouth. "I like that."

Ryder kept quiet, waiting for SAM to elaborate. "I like that you see me as your twin."

"I'm glad you see it that way," Ryder replied. "SAM, could you get the nurse on duty for me? My throat is killing me, talking to you didn't help."

It didn't take long for Lexi to arrive with Scott and Jaal. All three of them looked almost dead on their feet. "You three need the medical wing more than me," Ryder said upon seeing them enter her private room.

She had managed to squirm into a sitting position, enduring waves of dizziness as she did so. She much rather endured that than continue to feel like a invalid. "Sara!" Scott protested. "We were worried."

"You don't have to," Ryder assured him while sucking on her ice chips. "I'm a cat with all 9 lives."

"9 lives?" Lexi asked. "I think you have probably used up 4 already."

Ryder counted on her fingers. "4?" she asked. "So I died, again?"

"I'm glad you still can count," Scott laughed, though it didn't reached his eyes.

"It was touch and go for a moment," Lexi confessed.

Scott came to sit at her bed side, while Lexi was waving her omni tool about as usual. Ryder watched Jaal leaned against the wall opposite her bed. He wasn't his usual self. He felt too reserved, too distant. Ryder didn't quite know what to make of this behaviour. "Sara, your brain was swelling. If Lexi couldn't bring down the swelling through the fluids and medicine, she would have to cut your head open!" Scott exclaimed. "You were in a freaking coma!"

Ryder kept her eye on Jaal. She saw him grimaced at Scott's colourful description. "Come on, Scott." Ryder protested. "Coma should have been old hat for you."

"Not to mention, you were shot, burn and just plain battered," Scott continued, ignoring Ryder's jab.

"Scott, believe me," Ryder said. "I know. I am feeling every single one of them now."

Lexi put her arm down. "Your brain is mostly back to normal," she said. "No more interfacing Remnant tech without SAM."

"Yes ma'am!" Ryder said, giving her a mock Alliance salute.

"Bed rest, Ryder," Lexi said. "Don't fight me on this. You need it."

"I'll be a good girl," Ryder promised. "But when can I get that out?"

"What?" Lexi asked, perplexed.

She pointed meaningfully at her crotch. "That."

"Oh, that," Lexi said. "I'll will hold that as insurance to keep you in bed."

"No!" Ryder groaned. "You can't. That's just evil!"

Lexi's peals of laughter broke through Ryder's dismay. _Oh my gods, she is serious!_ Lexi dragged Scott by the arm out of the room. "Let's give them some time to themselves."

The room was emptied and silence descended. Ryder fidgeted, the leads on her chest were itchy. She shifted to the side, clearing a space for Jaal. "Come here," she said, patting the space she vacated.

For a moment, he didn't move. Ryder couldn't help but feel hurt. It must have shown on her face because Jaal quickly moved to her side. "Talk to me," Ryder said, pleaded almost.

"Sara, darling one," Jaal began, his hand trembling slightly as he laced his fingers through hers. "You can't do this to me again. I don't think I can take it."

For a moment, anger flared within Ryder. "Jaal, you know who I am when you meet me," Ryder explained. "I am the Pathfinder. This is part of who I am."

Ryder threw up her arms, tugging at her IV lines, threatening to bring it all down on her. "Hell, this is my entire identity in Heleus! I am not the kind of girl who sits still."

"I thought you accepted that. Have I mistaken that?" she asked, looking into his eyes. _Please say no, please._ "Have I?"

"No, you haven't," Jaal said, panic clear on his face. "I was worried, so afraid. I had nobody to turn too. My emotions were just entirely bottled up. I didn't know what to do."

"Come here," Ryder said gesturing he should get into the bed with her.

Jaal positioned himself behind Ryder, sitting up. Their thighs straight out in front of them touching, while Ryder leaned onto his chest. His arms wrapped around Ryder, enclosing her in his embrace. "Better?"

Jaal sighed, huffed a breath that rippled her hair. "You don't have to feel you can't share what you feel with me, or any of the crew." Ryder said. "You can talk to us, show us what you are feeling."

Ryder sent a small biotic charge over his arms. It danced across his blue arms, starting from his fingers tingling all the way up to his shoulders. He sent one of his down her thighs. Ryder yelped and the heart rate monitor protested as it registered her elevated heart beat. "Ryder, are you ok?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she reassured him. "I think I am a little sensitive to charges at the moment. Let's not do that again for a while."

He rumbled his agreement. His finger tracing circles on her thigh. "Jaal," Ryder said.

"Hmmm?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For causing the change in you. Angaras are open with their emotions right?"

"Yes."

"But you have changed, I'm sorry for causing that."

Jaal's breath caught in his throat. He hadn't really realised the change in himself but now that he thought about it, it was true. He had not been as open with his emotions. Maybe, it's the close living quarters with many aliens, maybe it's his refusal to burden Ryder with his feelings, maybe it's just him learning and evolving. He had no idea but one thing was clear, he didn't want to lose the dear person he had in his arms. He couldn't, wouldn't stop her from being who she was. Ryder was right, he couldn't do that but he could make sure he'll be there with her every step of the way.

"Change is not a bad thing, Sara."

They sat quietly nuzzling, then Jaal realised that Ryder's breathing grew deep and even. He tilted is head to check and found her asleep. He was not about to move a single muscle and risk waking her up.

Hours later, Lexi entered to find both of them sleeping on the bed. Jaal's larger frame enveloping Ryder like a protective cocoon.

"As promised," Lexi said. "Ready?"

"No…" she groaned. "But it has to be out, I don't want to pee through a tube anymore."

Lexi deflated the balloon that kept the catheter in place and with a short tug, the tube came out. Relief flooded Ryder's face. "Finally," she gasped. "I am a free woman again."

Lexi laughed. "Just remember to take the painkillers if you need them and eat your meals!"

"Yes, mom," Ryder said.

The crew came to pick up her from the medical wing once they know she was being discharged. Her body was sore but not unbearably so though there was just a general weakness in her limbs due to her coma. With SAM back in her head, so to speak, Ryder felt whole again. Jaal came by a couple of days ago with a bag of her stuff. Ryder fished out her comfy tank top and bra along with a fresh pair of underwear and her jeans. _Finally done with that stupid paper gown._ She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Bruises were still visible all along her arms. She put on her jacket in a bid to hide the worse of them.

"Ryder!" Vetra greeted. "It's good to see you on your feet."

"Here, let me hold it," Liam said, picking up her bag.

"What's the plan?" Ryder asked.

"Shhhh…," Peebee hissed. "It's a secret. It's for us to know and for you to find out."

"Woo… A surprise party then?" Ryder teased.

Scott stuck out his tongue. "Something like that."

"Sorry Ryder, I couldn't stop them," Cora confessed.

"It's ok," Ryder smiled. _Oh on, Peebee and Scott in cahoots._ "It was never within your control anyway."

Cora laughed ruefully. Drack practically lifted her up in his arms in a bid to give her a hug. "Kid," he rumbled.

"Gramps," she replied, coughing a little from the tight hug.

Ryder's wild eyes met Cora's. She just shrugged at her unspoken question. "Come on," Peebee said. "Let's get going. Kallo, Suvi and Gil are meeting us there."

With Jaal's strong arm to steady her shaky ones, they made their way out of the medical wing. The nurses and doctors along with patients smiled at her. Some even went as far as to bow while others pointed and whispered. Ryder had no idea what to make of it. _Am I famous or something?_

Before they made it any way further Ryder spied the Nexus leadership heading towards her. She groaned inwardly. Her crew fanned out behind her. "Pathfinder Ryder, I am glad you are finally back on your feet." Tann emphasising on the "finally".

"I'm sorry my recovery has inconvenienced you," Ryder said. "Well, saving the cluster is tiring work after all."

 _Wow, 12 words and Tann is already grating on my nerves. That must be some record._ Kesh cleared her throat meaningfully. "That's not why we are here, Tann," she reminded.

"Right, right," Tann waved his hand as if to wiped his words away. "We reached an impasse regarding the position of interim ambassador to represent the concerns outside the Nexus. Though I maintain this is premature, this is the first step to establish a true council here in Heleus."

"So what do you want me to do?" Ryder asked.

"You, Pathfinder must nominate someone," Addison said.

Ryder arched an eyebrow, "Me?"

"Yes, you," Kandros said. "You have acted on behalf of everyone in Heleus. Hell, you are the Shield of Heleus, at least that's the word on the street."

 _Oh. Hence the bowing huh._ Ryder laughed, rolling her eyes at the same time. "Well, only if you are sure you want me to decide."

"We are coming to you because the four of us will never come to a consensus," Kesh said.

"Agreed," Addison added.

"All right, the interim ambassador is to represent not just the humans, asaris, krogans, turians and salarians but also the angaras, correct?" Ryder confirmed. "Then the answer is pretty clear."

She paused for dramatic effect. Her crew who were chatting amongst themselves fell silent. It's a pause that drew people to fill it in. Tann was the first to crack. "Who?" he asked.

"The Moshae, of course," Ryder replied. "We can't force our decisions or our way of doing things on the angaras. Heleus is home to the angaras first, we are the aliens here. The Moshae is angara, she would be able to represent them and us. She is a smart, reasonable woman who is respected by angaras and me. She would be my choice."

"Are you not going to ask us for advice before deciding?" Tann spluttered.

Ryder smiled sweetly at him. "No."

Kesh laughed uproariously. "The Moshae as interim ambassador? I think the krogans can live with that," she said.

Kandros and Addison nodded as well. "Oh, one more thing," Ryder said. "You realised that an asari voice is lacking in the Nexus leadership. Maybe you guys can rectify that while you are at it?"

Tann's face grew paler than she had ever seen it before. Ryder wasn't sure if it was a sign of distress or embarrassment. _I got to ask Kallo later._ "Excuse me, I got a surprise party to go out, if that's all?" Ryder asked, sliding smoothly away from them.

"And you know what she said?" Peebee said, re-telling the conversation with the Nexus Leadership to Kallo, Suvi and Gil. "She told him no!"

Laughter rang out. Kallo wiped tears from his eyes. "Tann must have been livid!"

"I've never seen a salarian so pale before," Vetra confessed.

Ryder leaned against the wall, watching her crew enjoying themselves. Her father's, now hers and Scott's private room on the Hyperion had been transformed. Previously whenever she entered the room, it felt like a tomb, a memorial for her father. Now, with the crew draped over the bed or relaxing on chairs, it changed how she felt about the room. It wasn't a place of mourning, it's a place for relaxation and contentment. Ryder glanced at the console. SAM did informed her about an encrypted memories of her father. She never got around unlocking them because there was always one emergency or another to attend to. She promised herself she will make time to unlock them now that things are calming down.

"Ryder!" Jaal exclaimed. "Your dad has such cool weapons!"

She smiled indulgently. "Ahhh…," she said. "Just be careful with them."

"I will, I will."

She made a move to get herself a beer but Lexi swooped in smoothly and handed her a cup of water instead. Ryder groaned in protest but Lexi threatened her with extra physical therapy the next day. Lexi even made everyone promised not to give any alcohol to her. _Damn, Lexi. What's a party without a little alcohol?_ She watched as Scott mingled with the crew. He had no trouble getting on with the gang. She couldn't help but wonder what's next for him. _Would the Nexus assign him to the Tempest?_ She gave a mental shake of her head. Those were thoughts for another time. Now, all she wanted was to enjoy the here and now. There were no fires to put out, no strong hold to raid, no people that needed rescuing and most important no cluster ending shit going down. She sighed, contented maybe a little tired but happy for sure.

Jaal joined her against the wall after handling every single one of her father's weapons. Their arms touching. Ryder stroked his arm absently. "Not joining the rest?" he asked.

"Yeah I will," she replied. "I like watching though."

"It's not as fun in the sidelines."

Liam beckoned her over. "Come on, let's take a photo. It's one for the history books!"

"Let me," Peebee said as she poked and prodded her omni tool.

Poc hovered just ahead of her as she keyed her instructions before pushing it to Poc. Cora pulled Ryder to the centre. The rest huddled around her. "Say cheese!"

Poc's sensor snapped, freezing the moment for eternity. A single crystallised moment of happiness for a job well done, hope for the future and joy of the team that turned family.

 **THE END OF THE ARCHON ARC**


End file.
